Markdown Preview
100% private — runs on your device, never uploaded. Works offline once loaded.
Type or paste Markdown to see a live HTML preview and copy the generated HTML for your CMS or docs. Everything runs locally.
What Markdown actually is
Markdown is a lightweight markup language where plain-text symbols stand in for HTML formatting — a line starting with # becomes a heading, text wrapped in ** becomes bold, and a line starting with > becomes a blockquote. The preview pane parses your text into that structure and renders it as real HTML as you type, so you see the finished look — headings, lists, links, code blocks — without writing a single HTML tag yourself.
Beyond plain Markdown: GitHub-flavored extensions
Most Markdown you'll actually encounter today — on GitHub, GitLab, in Slack messages, or in a static-site blog — follows GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), which adds several things the original 2004 spec never had: fenced code blocks with a language tag for syntax highlighting, pipe-delimited tables, task lists using [ ] and [x] checkboxes, and automatic strikethrough with ~~text~~. This preview follows those conventions, since that's what most people mean by "Markdown" in practice.
Where people use a Markdown editor
Markdown's whole appeal is that it's readable even before it's rendered, which is why it became the default format for developer-facing writing.
- Writing a README.md before pushing a new repository
- Drafting posts for static-site generators like Jekyll, Hugo, or Astro that build pages directly from Markdown files
- Composing GitHub or GitLab issue and pull-request descriptions with headings or checklists
- Writing documentation pages, changelogs, or release notes
A few things worth knowing
Markdown renderers aren't perfectly standardized — a table or nested list that looks right here can render slightly differently on another platform's parser, so if you're targeting a specific destination (a GitHub README versus a personal blog engine), it's worth a quick check there too. Raw HTML dropped into a Markdown file is usually passed through untouched, which is handy for embedding something like a
A practical writing workflow
A live preview is most useful when you are switching frequently between structure and appearance. Draft the outline first with headings and bullet lists, then fill in paragraphs, then spot-check special blocks like tables, task lists, and fenced code. That catches broken nesting quickly. It is also a good habit to paste any final README or issue text into the exact platform it will live on, because small parser differences can still matter for complicated tables, HTML blocks, or nested lists. Preview locally for speed, then verify at the destination once before publishing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my text uploaded?
No — rendering happens entirely on your device.
Which Markdown flavour?
Common Markdown via the marked library, with line breaks enabled.
Can I copy HTML?
Yes — the HTML output updates as you type; use Copy HTML.
Is my Markdown text uploaded anywhere?
No — parsing and rendering happen entirely in your browser as you type; nothing is sent to a server.
Which flavor of Markdown does the preview follow?
GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) — standard Markdown plus tables, fenced code blocks, task lists, and strikethrough.
Does it support tables and checkbox task lists?
Yes, both are part of GFM: use pipes and dashes for tables, and - [ ] / - [x] for task list items.
Can I mix raw HTML into my Markdown?
Generally yes — most Markdown parsers, including this one's rendering approach, pass inline HTML through untouched, though an unclosed tag can affect the rest of the preview.
Will code blocks show syntax highlighting?
Fenced code blocks that specify a language after the opening ``` are rendered as code blocks; exact color highlighting depends on the language tag being correct.
Will my Markdown look identical on GitHub or my blog as it does here?
Very close, but not guaranteed identical — different platforms use different Markdown parsers, so it's worth a final check on the destination site for anything unusual like nested lists or tables.
Can I use this to proof a README before pushing to GitHub?
Yes. That is one of the most common uses: paste the README draft, check headings, tables, lists, and code fences, then do one final check on GitHub if you rely on any unusual formatting.
Why does a list sometimes render strangely?
Markdown lists are sensitive to blank lines, indentation, and whether nested items are aligned correctly. A live preview makes those mistakes visible immediately, which is much easier than debugging them after publishing.
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