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tw93/MiaoYan

A native macOS Markdown note app that stores notes as plain files in a folder you choose, with split editor and preview.

Open-source alternative to:TyporaBear

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What is it?

MiaoYan is a native Mac app for writing and organizing Markdown notes. Notes are stored as Markdown files in a folder you choose, so they stay on your disk and can be synced by iCloud Drive, Nutstore, Dropbox, or another cloud-drive client rather than a built-in account system.

The editor uses three columns for folders, notes, and writing, and offers a split mode that shows the Markdown source and a synchronized preview side by side. It supports wikilinks, LaTeX, Mermaid diagrams, version history, auto-formatting, and PPT-style presentations made from slides separated by `---`. A command-line tool named `miao` can open, create, search, and print notes from the terminal.

The app is built with Swift and requires macOS 12.0 or later. It is MIT licensed and available through the Mac App Store, Homebrew, or GitHub Releases.

Key features

  • 01Stores notes as Markdown files in a folder you choose
  • 02Three-column layout with dark mode
  • 03Split editor and synchronized preview
  • 04Wikilinks, LaTeX, Mermaid, and version history
  • 05Built-in PPT presentations from Markdown slides
  • 06Command-line tool for opening, searching, and creating notes

Use cases

  • Keeping personal notes as plain Markdown files you fully control
  • Writing technical documents with math formulas and diagrams
  • Syncing notes across Mac, iPhone, and iPad through iCloud Drive or a cloud-drive client
  • Turning Markdown outlines into quick slide presentations

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install the app with Homebrew

    brew install --cask miaoyan
  2. 2

    Open Preferences (⌘,) and set a folder for your notes as the storage path

Things to know

  • macOS only, requiring macOS 12.0 or later.
  • Cross-device sync depends on a separate cloud-drive app such as iCloud Drive or Nutstore.

In collections

Open-source Mac appsPrivacy & local-first tools

Topics

#markdown#notes#macos#swift#local-first#markdown-editor#note-taking#editor#notes-app

FAQ

What is MiaoYan?
A native macOS Markdown note app that stores notes as plain files in a folder you choose, with split editor and preview. MiaoYan is a native Mac app for writing and organizing Markdown notes. Notes are stored as Markdown files in a folder you choose, so they stay on your disk and can be synced by iCloud Drive, Nutstore, Dropbox, or another cloud-drive client rather than a built-in account system.
Is MiaoYan free to use? What license does it have?
MiaoYan is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is MiaoYan still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to MiaoYan was on Oct 23, 2026.
What can I use MiaoYan for?
Keeping personal notes as plain Markdown files you fully control Writing technical documents with math formulas and diagrams Syncing notes across Mac, iPhone, and iPad through iCloud Drive or a cloud-drive client Turning Markdown outlines into quick slide presentations
How do I install MiaoYan?
Install the app with Homebrew: brew install --cask miaoyan Open Preferences (⌘,) and set a folder for your notes as the storage path
Where can I get MiaoYan?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/tw93/MiaoYan

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