What is Markdown?
Markdown is a lightweight text formatting language that lets you write formatted documents using plain text. Instead of clicking toolbar buttons, you add simple symbols: **bold** for bold, # Heading for a heading, - item for a list. When processed, these symbols are converted to properly formatted HTML.
Markdown was created in 2004 and has since become ubiquitous. It’s used for README files, documentation, blog posts, forum comments (GitHub, Reddit, Stack Overflow), note-taking apps, and much more. It’s designed to be readable even as plain text.
What Does This Tool Do?
This tool renders a live preview of Markdown text as formatted HTML. Type or paste Markdown on the left, and see the rendered output on the right — updated in real time as you write.
How to Use This Tool
- Type or paste your Markdown text in the left panel.
- The formatted preview appears on the right instantly.
- The preview reflects standard Markdown including headings, bold, italic, lists, links, code blocks, and tables.
Supported Markdown Syntax
| Syntax | Result |
|---|---|
# Heading 1 | Large heading |
**bold** | Bold |
*italic* | Italic |
`code` | Inline code |
- item | Bullet list |
[text](url) | Link |
> quote | Blockquote |
Common Use Cases
- Writing README files: Draft and preview a GitHub README before committing.
- Documentation: Write docs and see how they’ll look when rendered.
- Blog posts: Preview Markdown content before publishing to a platform that uses it.
- Learning Markdown: Experiment with syntax and immediately see the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it support GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)?
The preview supports most common Markdown features including tables, task lists, and fenced code blocks — which are part of GFM. Some platform-specific extensions may not be included.
Is my data private?
Yes. All rendering happens locally in your browser — your text is never sent to any server.