Guides
Markdown tutorials, comparisons, and how-to articles
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Getting Started
- What Is an .md File? What .md means, how Markdown works, and how to open these files on Mac
- How to Write a Markdown File Create your first .md file — headings, links, code blocks, tables with examples
- Markdown Cheat Sheet Quick reference for headings, links, images, code blocks, tables, and more
- README.md Template Copy-paste README templates for GitHub projects — library, CLI, app, and API
- Markdown Tables Guide Syntax, alignment, formatting tips, and tools for creating Markdown tables
Markdown Syntax
- Markdown Heading H1–H6 syntax, Setext headings, anchor links, and best practices
- Markdown Bold ** and __ syntax, bold italic, bold in lists, tables, and blockquotes
- Markdown Italic Italicize text with * and _ syntax, bold italic combos
- Markdown Strikethrough Cross out text with ~~ syntax, GFM extension, HTML alternatives
- Markdown Highlight Highlight text with ==syntax== and HTML mark tag
- Markdown Underline Why Markdown has no underline syntax, and 3 HTML workarounds that work
- Markdown Link Inline links, reference links, auto-links, anchors, and relative links
- Markdown Image Embed images, resize with HTML, local files, linked images, and alignment
- Markdown List Ordered, unordered, nested, task/checkbox, and definition lists
- Markdown Checkbox Task lists and checklists with [ ] and [x] syntax
- Markdown Blockquote Blockquote syntax, nesting, callouts/admonitions, and multi-paragraph quotes
- Markdown Code Block Inline code, fenced blocks with syntax highlighting, diff syntax, and language IDs
- Markdown Horizontal Rule Dividers with ---, ***, and ___ — syntax and common pitfalls
- Markdown Line Break Trailing spaces, backslash, HTML br, and blank lines — 4 methods compared
- Markdown Link Inline, reference, auto-link, and anchor syntax with copy-paste examples
- Markdown Heading ATX and setext heading syntax, best practices, and anchor links
- Markdown Image Inline and reference image syntax, alt text, sizing, and alignment
- Markdown Checkbox Task list syntax with checkboxes for GitHub, GitLab, and other platforms
- Markdown Strikethrough Strikethrough syntax with ~~ tildes, platform support, and alternatives
- Markdown Underline Why Markdown has no underline syntax, and 3 HTML workarounds that work
- Markdown Emoji Emoji shortcodes :rocket:, Unicode characters, and platform support
- Markdown Color How to color text — HTML spans, diff blocks, LaTeX, badges (no native syntax)
- Markdown Footnote Footnotes with [^1] syntax, named footnotes, and multi-paragraph notes
- Markdown Superscript & Subscript Superscript ^text^, subscript ~text~, HTML tags, and LaTeX methods
- Markdown Comment Hidden comments with <!-- -->, link-label hack, and platform support
- Markdown Escape Characters Backslash escaping for literal *, #, [, |, and other special characters
- Markdown Collapsible Section details/summary toggle, accordion patterns, nested sections, and platform support
Viewing Markdown on Mac
- How to Open .md Files on Mac Set a default viewer, use QuickLook, and stop seeing raw text
- MD Viewer for Mac Free Markdown reader and viewer for macOS — desktop apps, terminal readers, and online tools compared
- Markdown Preview on Mac QuickLook, live preview, and rendered Markdown without leaving Finder
- Best Markdown Viewers for Mac in 2026 6 apps compared — from free native viewers to full editors
- Markdown Editor vs Viewer When you need a full editor and when a lightweight viewer is enough on Mac
- 5 Best Markdown Editors for Mac in 2026 Typora, iA Writer, Bear, MacDown, and MDViewer compared — free and paid options
MDViewer vs Alternatives
- MDViewer vs Typora Free native viewer vs paid WYSIWYG editor — features, pricing, and workflows
- MDViewer vs Marked 2 Two Mac Markdown previewers compared — Git history, editing, and QuickLook
- MDViewer vs Telescopo QuickLook-focused viewer vs full-featured Markdown app for macOS
- MDViewer vs MacMD Viewer Two native SwiftUI viewers with QuickLook — features and pricing compared
- MDViewer vs Simply Markdown Full-featured viewer vs minimal preview companion — which workflow fits?
- MDViewer vs Obsidian Second brain vs instant document viewer — which Markdown approach fits your workflow?
- MDViewer vs VS Code Purpose-built Markdown viewer vs full IDE — instant launch, Mermaid, and QuickLook
- MDViewer vs MacDown Modern maintained viewer vs legacy split-pane editor — both free
- MDViewer vs iA Writer Free viewer vs $50 premium writing app — reading vs writing workflows
- MDViewer vs Bear File-based Markdown viewer vs note-taking database — different approaches
- MDViewer vs MarkText Native SwiftUI viewer vs open-source Electron WYSIWYG editor — both free
- MDViewer vs Glow Native GUI app vs terminal Markdown renderer — different workflows
- MDViewer vs Markdown Better View Two Mac-native viewers with QuickLook — macOS 13+ vs macOS 15+ required
- MDViewer vs Marked QL Full reading app vs QuickLook-only extension — both preview in Finder
- MDViewer vs MD-Viewer 15 MB native app vs 124 MB viewer — both free, different feature sets
- MDViewer vs MDHero Mature native viewer vs open-source pre-1.0 app with Marp slideshows
- MDViewer vs Meva Native macOS viewer vs cross-platform app with free and Pro tiers
- MDViewer vs QLMarkdown Full viewer app vs popular free QuickLook extension — or use both
- MDViewer vs Readdown Two free native readers with QuickLook and Mermaid — feature differences
- MDViewer vs Zettlr Fast native reader vs academic Electron editor with citations and Pandoc
Mermaid Diagrams
- What Is Mermaid? Diagram-as-code in Markdown — flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and more from plain text
- Mermaid Flowchart Guide Syntax, shapes, arrows, subgraphs, and copy-paste examples
- Mermaid Sequence Diagram Guide Participants, messages, loops, alt blocks, and real-world examples
- Mermaid vs Draw.io Diagram-as-code vs visual editor — version control, collaboration, and tradeoffs
- Best Mermaid Viewers for Mac 6 tools compared — MDViewer, VS Code, Live Editor, Obsidian, and more
- How to Open Mermaid Files on Mac Open .mmd and .mermaid files from Finder, QuickLook, VS Code, or terminal
- How to Render Mermaid Diagrams on Mac Preview, export, and automate Mermaid rendering — 5 methods compared
GitHub & Content
- GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) GFM vs CommonMark — tables, task lists, autolinks, strikethrough, and alerts
- GitHub Profile README Create a profile README with badges, stats cards, and templates
- Markdown Badges shields.io badge syntax, static and dynamic badges, styles, and logo options
AI & Markdown
- Why AI Tools Use Markdown Token efficiency, training data, and why every AI outputs Markdown
- ChatGPT Markdown Output Save, export, and view ChatGPT responses as formatted Markdown files
- Claude Code & Markdown Files How CLAUDE.md gives AI coding agents project context
- Markdown for AI Agents AGENTS.md, copilot-instructions.md, and context files that control AI behavior
- Markdown vs JSON for AI When to use each format for prompts, context, and output
- Cursor Rules Guide .cursorrules templates for TypeScript, React, Python — plus CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md comparison
- llms.txt Guide llms.txt spec explained — format, template, real-world examples, and how to create one
JSON
- How to View JSON Files on Mac Collapsible tree viewers, formatters, and CLI tools for macOS
Converting & Workflows
- Convert .md to PDF on Mac 5 methods — MDViewer export, Print to PDF, Pandoc, VS Code, and grip
- How to Convert PDF to Markdown AI tools, Pandoc, Marker, and online converters for turning PDFs into .md files
- View Markdown from AI Render ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot output as formatted Markdown
- Convert Markdown to HTML 5 methods — online tools, VS Code, CLI, JavaScript libraries, and SSGs
- Convert Markdown to Word Pandoc, VS Code, online tools, and custom styling for .docx export
- Online Markdown Viewer View .md files in the browser — drag, drop, read. No install, no upload