A native macOS Markdown note app that stores notes as plain files in a folder you choose, with split editor and preview.
8.7K520SwiftMITUpdated 11 hours ago
- Stars
- 5,883
- Forks
- 260
- Open issues
- 1
- Last commit
- 2 days ago
What is it?
MarkEdit is a free, open-source Markdown editor for macOS. It works like TextEdit but is dedicated to Markdown, aiming for a small installer (about 4 MB) that stays responsive on very large files, including files with a million lines.
MarkEdit follows the GFM specification without proprietary syntax. Complex editing features such as multi-caret editing and code folding are built on CodeMirror 6, while UI controls like word lookup, inline predictions and Writing Tools stay native to macOS.
Customization relies on CSS, JavaScript and CodeMirror extensions, and an built-in extension manager offers curated official extensions for Markdown preview, syntax hiding, themes, AI writing and visual table editing. The app supports Shortcuts and AppleScript and does not collect user data.
Key features
- 01Strict GFM Markdown support with no proprietary syntax
- 02Multi-caret editing and code folding powered by CodeMirror 6
- 03Native macOS controls, including force-touch lookup and Writing Tools
- 04Shortcuts and AppleScript integration
- 05Extensible through CSS, JavaScript and CodeMirror extensions
- 06Built-in extension manager with official extensions
Use cases
- Writing and editing long Markdown documents or notes on a Mac
- Opening and editing very large text or Markdown files quickly
- Automating editor actions with Shortcuts or AppleScript
Quick start
- 1
Install MarkEdit via Homebrew
brew install --cask markedit - 2
Or download MarkEdit.dmg from the latest release, open it, and drag MarkEdit.app to Applications
Things to know
- Requires macOS 26.0 or later for the current release; older macOS versions need specific older releases.
In collections
Topics
FAQ
- What is MarkEdit?
- A free, open-source Markdown editor for macOS, built as a lightweight TextEdit-style app dedicated to Markdown. MarkEdit is a free, open-source Markdown editor for macOS. It works like TextEdit but is dedicated to Markdown, aiming for a small installer (about 4 MB) that stays responsive on very large files, including files with a million lines.
- Is MarkEdit free to use? What license does it have?
- MarkEdit is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
- Is MarkEdit still maintained?
- Actively maintained. The last commit to MarkEdit was on Oct 22, 2026.
- What can I use MarkEdit for?
- Writing and editing long Markdown documents or notes on a Mac Opening and editing very large text or Markdown files quickly Automating editor actions with Shortcuts or AppleScript
- How do I install MarkEdit?
- Install MarkEdit via Homebrew: brew install --cask markedit Or download MarkEdit.dmg from the latest release, open it, and drag MarkEdit.app to Applications
- Where can I get MarkEdit?
- The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/MarkEdit-app/MarkEdit
Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.
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