While Apple Notes checks off most of the boxes, it may not fit into everyone’s needs. This is where the best Notes app alternatives for Mac come into the play.
Markdown is a plain text formatting syntax for web writers that is easy to read, easy to write and designed to be eventually converted to rich text while remaining independent from any application. Things to look for when choosing a Markdown editor include how it makes writing Markdown easier, how it previews rendered Markdown, how much customizability and options both in term of the editor as.
- Same as Caret, Typora is also a multi-platform app. Apart from Mac, this app is also available for Windows and Mac. Typora is a truly distraction-free Markdown editor. By default, you will see nothing on your working window but a cursor and a gray background. You can start writing your document without any distraction at all.
- The free version, however, is completely missing any sort of sync or backup capability. Users will need to drop either $1.49 per month of $14.99 annually to get access to that feature, as well as any kind of export capability. The app, especially the mobile version, is fairly crippled without that, so you might consider that a mandatory purchase.
- The distraction-free apps for writing are available in two variants. The first one functions the same as that of Microsoft Word and Google Docs, in which ‘what you see is what you get’. However, the second one is the markdown editors that enable you to have proper control. When compared, the markdown editors are better than the ‘what you.
- The best Markdown editor will make it easy to write your content and quickly export it to PDF, web pages, or Rich Text Format. You can work on any platform. Since there are dozens of really good Markdown editors for all platforms (Linux, Mac, Windows, web, etc.), you can pretty much write and edit text from any device and location.
Aside from making the task of note-taking pretty straightforward, these third-party apps also double up as a super handy annotation and writing tool. Besides, they allow creating projects in many formats like text, audio, video, and whatnot.
Though the App Store has several fine options, only a few have walked into our list of the top note-taking apps for Mac. We’ve chosen them based on their effectiveness and how well they work. Dive right in along with me to take a close look at ’em!
#1. Evernote
Despite the cut-throat competition, “Evernote” remains one of the most appreciable note-taking apps both for macOS and iOS. The highlight of this app is the wide range of tools that provide more flexibility.
The option to make notes in several formats like video, audio, web clippings, sketch ensure you are able to give your thoughts the right shape. With easy-to-format word processor at your disposal, you can write your thoughts elegantly.
You can create an agenda to be discussed in a meeting, write a quick memo and transfer your Evernote notes to Apple notes.
Often forget to do some important tasks? Make a checklist of all the things you have to do. Besides, you will also create presentations to express your thoughts with the desired impact.
Price: Free
Download
Download
#2. Microsoft OneNote
“OneNote” is a complete package. The app lets you capture your ideas in a variety of formats and offer you the needed freedom to keep everything in the perfect sync.
You can tag your notes to find them quickly. Make a list of to-dos and keep track of them so that you are able to do your tasks in time.
The collaboration features works immaculately, allowing you to work with your colleagues. For more security, you will also add an extra shield to your projects to keep them private.
Better still, OneNote for Mac is compatible with a ton of international languages including French, German, Greek, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish and more. So, a language should never become a roadblock to your note-taking.
Price: Free
Download
Download
#3. Notebook
Zoho Corporation is well-known for producing powerful apps. And Notebook does have all the qualities to be highly efficient.
While there is a lot to like in this app, I find “Smart Cards” very adorable. What it basically does is automatically format the contents into specific cards like the recipe, video, and link.
The app provides several predefined note covers to let you design your stories elegantly. If you don’t like the readymade options, you can create a custom cover. Moreover, there is also an option to make public notes using shareable links so that anyone can view them.
With the dark-themed night mode, you will enjoy working till late at night. Plus, the reminders won’t let any of your tasks go out of your notice.
Price: Free
Download
Download
#4. Bear
Should you want to have a top-notch writing-cum note-taking app for your Mac, give a close look to Bear. I’ve used this app for long and always found pretty neat.
The best thing about it is the simple interface coupled with the easy-to-use tools. Therefore, you can write amazing stories and give your wildest thoughts the ideal shape.
Bear has a good library of more than a dozen themes that make it a lot easier to design stories. Features like tagging, archiving and adding tasks to notes enable to take control of your stuff. Furthermore, you can export your projects in multiple formats such as HTML, PDF, DOCX, MD, JPG, and EPUB.
Lastly, after a free trial of one week, you will have to upgrade to Bear premium’s $1.49 monthly or $14.99 annually plan.
Price: Free
Download
Download
#5. Agenda
If you want to streamline all of your projects and get them ready before the deadline, pick out “Agenda.” One of the notable features of this app is the advanced text editor.
Depending on the specific theme, you can give a befitting look to your notes. It allows you to convert your text into multiple formats like Markdown and HTML. Segregate your files into different categories so that will access them instantly.
The app lets you connect your sticky notes to the events in your personal calendar. As a result, you can plan your meeting perfectly.
Better still, you don’t have to pay any bucks to use all the features of Agenda.
Price: Free
Download
Download
#6. Notability
For annotation and crafting rich notes, “Notability” is one of the better options. With a wide range of fonts, sizes, custom colors at your disposal, you can design your stories with complete peace of mind.
You will be able to import PDFs, DOCs, PPTs, images, GIFs to your projects and fine-tune them with more flexibility. Easily convert your stories into PDF to share them with your friends and colleagues.
Make the most of the super handy tools to annotate photos elegantly. Thanks to the automatic iCloud syncing, your tasks automatically sync across your devices.
Additionally, Notability works with multiple cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and OneDrive.
Price: $9.99
Download
Download
#7. Simplenote
There are very few note apps for Mac that look as familiar as Simplenote. Its user interface is pretty clean, and you hardly have to spend any time to master the tools.
One of my favorite feature of this app is focus mode. Times when you want to write with maximum concentration, this feature comes into play really well.
You can use pins and tags to organize your notes. And with Markdown, you will ideally format your projects. To ensure your eyes don’t burn while working in the night, the app comes with the dark mode.
Price: Free
Download
Download
#8. GoodNotes
I have picked out GoodNotes for a couple of main reasons. First, it makes annotating docs really fun. And if you are fond of giving your docs a creative look, this one can be your thing.
You can highlight or strikeout the text in your PDF documents. Easily move, scale and ideally customize the object color. There is also an option to add the bookmarks to your docs.
Courtesy the fast iCloud sync, you will find your notes on all of your devices. You can share your notes with others and also print them. The compatibility with a number of languages like English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese and more make it an evergreen tool.
Price: $7.99
Download
Download
![Markdown app mac free downloads Markdown app mac free downloads](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134068863/918793228.jpg)
#9. Quip
“Quip” is a lot more than just a simple note app for macOS. To be more precise, this is what you should use to collaborate with your teammates. Thanks to the chat and messaging integration, it helps you work with your colleagues in a fun way.
You can use the app to note down your thoughts faster, create to-do lists, and edit your docs. It also lets you make comprehensive spreadsheets.
Another notable feature of this app is that it allows you to import your address book from several services like Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, Microsoft Outlook, Google, and iCloud.
You will create insightful charts by using the data from spreadsheets and Salesforce records. The smart slides would not just make your presentation more impressive but also save your time.
Price: Free
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#10. BoostNote
If you are a developer, “BoostNote” should be your preferred option. The reason why I say it because the app has the support for code syntax highlighting in over a hundred languages such as Javascript, Python, HTML, CSS and more.
This open source markdown editor offers several tools that allow devs to take notes faster. The formatting features have semi-live previews so that you can quickly check your writing.
Besides, the text is automatically formatted as you type, which speeds up your task and also saves plenty of time. That’s not all, BoostNote works offline as well so that you can work anytime and anywhere.
Price: Free
Download
Download
Bonus
Unclutter
“Unclutter” is really smart! It’s designed to be a multitasker and lets you organize your clipboard data, files, and notes. If you aren’t able to take control of them, give it a chance to sort out the mess.
You can keep an eye on your clipboard history and manage it with ease. Store all of your files at once place and access them quickly. And yes, make sticky notes to never forget to do essential things.
The easy editing tools allow you to make changes conveniently. Due mainly to the quick search feature, you will instantly find a list. Besides, the app can be set up with Dropbox to sync data across the devices.
Price: $13.99
Download
Download
That’s pretty much it! So, this sums up our roundup of the top note apps for Mac.
What’s your favorite?
Now that you have known our favorite note apps, tell us about the ones that can walk into your personal roundup. We’d really appreciate your collection and the valuable feedback.
Take a glance at the following posts as well:
The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
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Jan 13, 2019 Best Free Markdown Editor For Mac. Popcorn time mac dmg 2. 1/13/2019 0 Comments One thing the MacStories team loves to do is constantly try new apps, compare the serious contenders in each app category, and settle on the app that suits us best. Most of the time this app evaluation process takes place on a merely private level, for personal purposes, but today I wanted.
Markdown is a method for styling text based entirely around text-based codes. If you’re familiar with the Web, you’ll recognize that it works a lot like HTML. In fact, Markdown was designed to be easily converted into HTML. If you’ve ever tried to convert a Word document into valid HTML, you know how frustrating that process can be. Markdown simplifies everything by creating a clear, character-based method for indicating where headings, links, images, lists, and other stylistic elements are placed.
It’s possible to write valid Markdown in any text editor. However, it’s much easier when you have a specialized text editor. We have already covered the best Markdown editors for Windows and Linux. Here are the best Markdown editors for anyone running macOS.
1. iA Writer
Like many Markdown editors, iA Writer goes in for the “minimal” approach to text editing. It’s essentially a plain text editor but with even fewer options that something like TextEdit. The intention is to help you focus on your writing, not extraneous formatting. And once you’re used to that idea and aesthetic, using Word feels like starting up a tank to drive to 7-11.
iA Writer includes a helpful set of keyboard shortcuts for formatting text and allows you to easily insert images into your posts. The preview mode, which shows how your styled text will appear in HTML, is clear and easy to use, and the side-by-side view simplifies making changes. There’s also a unique feature called syntax control that detects the different parts of speech in your writing, helping you identify poorly-worded sentences. And integration with WordPress and Medium makes it possible to publish directly from the application.
In the years since its release, iA Writer has gained a significant following. Apple named it the top plain text editor for every year from 2011 to 2015, which is no mean feat. If you’re looking for a straightforward Markdown editor, this is a great place to start, even with a $10 price tag. Photos app taking space mac.
2. Byword
In a lot of ways, Byword is very similar to A Writer. It’s a minimal text editor designed to make writing and publishing Markdown simple. The app contains far more integration that other text editors, connecting with Medium, Tumblr, Evernote, WordPress and even Blogger. Documents can be exported to Word documents, PDFs. and rich text files. Byword’s specialized version of Markdown, called MultiMarkdown, also makes more possible, including tables and linked footnotes. And deep integration with macOS Sierra means you get access to tabs, split screen, autosave, versions, and full screen.
But even with all these features, Byword isn’t flawless. Word counts can be wonky, and exporting as a RTF or Word document requires users to apply formatting that makes their previewed documents look incorrect. Plus there’s some formatting quirks, like using a double space at the end of a line to manually create a <br> tag. However, the extra integration is useful, and they’ll be invaluable if you need them.
3. Bear
Bear is less a Markdown editor and more a multi-platform note-taking app infused with jet fuel. When you want to write a full blog post in Notes, Bear is the application for you.
Bear organizes notes with hashtags. If you include a hashtag in a document, then that document will automatically be added to that tag’s category. It includes built-in syntax detection for 20 different programming languages, and it’s smart enough to automatically detect addresses, links, and hex colors to make note-taking more powerful.
The big selling point here is the excellent mobile app. It’s truly beautiful, and user interaction is well-designed and smooth. The free version, however, is completely missing any sort of sync or backup capability. Users will need to drop either $1.49 per month of $14.99 annually to get access to that feature, as well as any kind of export capability. The app, especially the mobile version, is fairly crippled without that, so you might consider that a mandatory purchase.
4. Ulysses
Ulysses is the only major Markdown applications built specifically for long-form writers. Users write small blocks of text, and then connect them together to form a longer whole. For example, a novel writer might use one section per chapter, making it easier to work on isolated sections of the book. Users can export text files in the ePub format, and the Markdown engine can easily handle dozens of images and footnotes. If you’re writing long-form non-fiction, this is incredible. But for short form writers, the $44.99 price tag will be soda-spittingly steep.
Conclusion
iA Writer is far and away the best Markdown editor available for the Mac. When you need a super-powered note-taker, Bear is for you. And long-form writers will benefit from Ulysses’s specialized features.
There’s no shortage of Markdown editors to choose from, and many of them are fantastic. We think Byword is the best of the bunch because it hits the sweet spot between simplicity and functionality. Byword offers a calm writing environment, yet has enough features under the hood enough to make you a happier and more productive writer.
![Free Free](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134068863/698555087.png)
What is Markdown?
If you’ve made the choice to read an article about Markdown editors, I’m guessing you have at least some familiarity with Markdown. If you don’t, you’ll be lost reading the rest of this article without at least some general understanding. Markdown, in the most simple definition, is a text-to-HTML conversion tool.
Markdown allows you to write in a more simplistic syntax with the thought that it will eventually be translated to HTML. Of course, this conversion requires some intervention. It’s possible to run some command line tools to help you parse your Markdown, but the easier track these days is to use one of the many, many applications available to write your Markdown. That’s what we’re discussing in this article — our favorite Markdown writing application.
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Originally created by John Gruber, the Markdown syntax has nearly become the standard for writers on the web, and because the format is simply a text file, you’ll see its usage all over the place these days. The idea behind Markdown is that your files don’t need to be connected to some specific application (i.e. Word or Pages documents). With Markdown, you can write in a format that will still hold some semantic meaning whether or not you’re parsing it. A text file written in Markdown syntax is still very easy to read, and by removing the requirement of any specific technology, you’re left with one of the most portable file formats: text files.
For a more thorough explanation combined with examples, the Markdown documentation is a great resource for beginners and regular users alike.
Criteria
Technically, you don’t need a special editor to write Markdown. Applications that range from a complete writer’s companion to something as basic as the Mac OS X installed TextEdit can be found in this category. Because of the potential breadth of our sample size, I’d like to lay out some criteria that we used to justify our choice for our favorite Markdown editor for Mac OS X. A good Markdown editor must be affordable, configurable, and able to do these things:
- Make writing with Markdown syntax easy.
- Show a preview of rendered Markdown.
- Export production-ready HTML from a Markdown document.
Writing in Markdown is not an overly complicated task, but we can all use a hand regardless of our familiarity with the language. Syntax highlighting can go a long way in finding errors and making it easier to learn Markdown. An application that highlights the Markdown components of your writing helps to validate, in real-time, that you’ve written it correctly.
One of the benefits of Markdown is that you don’t have to clutter your document with HTML tags. Since Markdown takes care of the conversion, if you can’t view the final product without another application, then we’d argue you’re not using a true Markdown editor. It’s a small, but important feature, so our editor needs to have this functionality built in. There are some applications that are built for the specific purpose of rendering Markdown, but we feel like that adds an unnecessary layer of complexity to a fairly simple task.
Some folks prefer the flexibility that one of these dedicated Markdown rendering apps can allow, but we feel that the single app solution makes more sense for most people. That said, we’ll check out a great Markdown preview app a little later on if that’s more of your thing.
Our Choice: Byword
Byword is our favorite Markdown editor for Mac OS X. It’s a wonderfully simple, delightfully useful editor that had us itching to continue writing.
At a certain point, all Markdown editors start to feel pretty similar to one another and, in reality, many of them are. App for to do list mac. The general functionality is pretty straightforward and these applications tend to reflect that.
To stand out in this crowded category, an app needs to nail the core features and get a little creative (without crossing the line). Byword epitomizes that statement by being a simple Markdown editor with just the right amount of functionality and configurability.
Additionally, Byword is an all-around excellent writing application. You don’t need to write in Markdown to appreciate Byword’s simple and distraction-free writing environment.
Working with the Markdown Syntax in Byword
There are some core features that we’d expect from any Markdown editor. Writing Markdown isn’t particularly difficult, but some assistance along the way is always welcome. Byword does a couple things in this area particularly well.
Byword has a nice balance of distinct syntax highlighting while not being distracting. It’s noticeable enough so that you can catch errors if you make them, yet not so intense to be bothersome while you write. With Byword, the shade of the text will change just a bit and even turn italic or bold depending on the components you are using. While some may complain that Byword’s syntax highlighting is too subtle, I’d argue the balance feels correct. Multi-color text is fine while editing code, but in working with prose, it’s distracting at best.
Byword’s syntax auto-completion is as smart as any Markdown editor I’ve used. For example, if I start an unordered list, complete one item, and press Return, Byword knows the next piece of content should be in the list and begins another list item for me.
Likewise, highlighting a string of text and using standard shortcuts for bolding (CMD + B) or italicizing (CMD + I) text puts the correct syntax in place automatically. So, in a lot of situations you can remember common keyboard shortcuts instead of Markdown syntax.
Inserting a link is simplified in Byword as well. A Markdown link requires two parts: the text to be linked is contained within square brackets and the actual URL within parenthesis. Not too difficult, but I forget where to use brackets versus parenthesis with this one all the time. The keyboard shortcut CMD + K will drop in an empty link (
[]()
) ready for you to complete, or you can highlight any text, type CMD + K, and Byword will wrap that text with the proper link syntax that is ready for the URL. It’s essentially like pasting in a quick snippet. It can both save you time as well as help you learn the correct syntax for many of the most common Markdown artifacts.Preview and Export
Even with some nice syntax highlighting, I do still wonder how my Markdown documents will look when rendered. I like to double-check my document and sometimes find it easier to read and review in a rendered format.
Byword has a quick preview option that does exactly what you’d think it does. Using either a keyboard shortcut or selecting the correct item from the menu, you’ll see your Markdown quickly rendered. Pressing Option + CMD + P or selecting Preview Markdown from the File menu will quickly display the rendered Markdown. Pressing Escape will dismiss the preview. It is extremely easy and quick to flip back and forth.
From the preview you’ll see shortcuts to Copy HTML, Publish (we’ll talk about this in just a bit), and Export. Export options can also be reached via the File menu. Not all editors offer the breadth of export options that Byword does, so no matter what your situation is, my guess is that there is an export that fits your needs. Options include: HTML, PDF, RTF, and the slightly more obscure LaTeX. And believe it or not, you can even export your beautiful Markdown as a Word document. I’m not sure when exactly that comes in handy, but it’s there should you ever need it.
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Publishing out of Byword
Byword will let you publish your writing from Byword straight to Medium, WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, and even Evernote. For those that regularly publish to any of those services, this could be an incredibly useful feature. People that do a fair amount of writing on the web will often do their writing in an external application (i.e. Byword) and then copy and paste that text into whatever service they’re using (i.e. WordPress). This publish feature allows you to cut out one step. Your process can live in one place — the place where you’re writing.
Once you’ve configured a service, a Publish option will be available from the File menu as well as from the Markdown preview. Confirm your post title, add any available metadata (such as tags, categories, etc.), and you’re done.
For the Writer
Byword certainly fits in the category of “distraction-free writing application” as well as any Markdown editor. Writing is difficult enough in its own right. We love applications that ease that pain (even if just a little) and help us to become more efficient writers.
Byword’s lack of clutter makes it a terrific writing tool. Many of the applications we tested felt overwhelming considering the task at hand. Providing the functionality that users need in an unobtrusive way is something Byword does exceptionally well. Features and functionality are there, but they can easily be hidden, allowing you to focus completely on your writing.
There isn’t an overwhelming number of features and customization options in Byword — in fact, the lack of customization helps you, the writer, focus on the words instead of fiddling with settings that don’t really matter. You can change the font the editor uses, the column width (narrow, medium, or large), and the color theme (dark or light), but that’s basically it.
That may not seem like enough flexibility, but I found those options to fit my needs quite nicely. It feels as though Byword allows for the right amount of configuration options in the right places. I don’t know about you, but the less time I spend tinkering around with the application the better.
Here’s where Byword has a couple of those delightful features that can have serious impact on your writing. Taking the distraction-free idea a step further, Byword allows you to put focus on either the paragraph you’re writing or even the line you’re writing. Here’s how it works: based on your settings, only the line or paragraph you’re writing will display in the prominent color (black text on white background or white on black background) and the rest of the text dims. You can still read it, but your focus is now clearly on the specific line you’re writing.
I was a little skeptical of this feature at first, but I found myself really, really enjoying it. It’s amazing how helpful that subtle level of focus can be. I’ve also come to rely on the paragraph-level focus when editing my writing. When you scroll through a document, you’re automatically kicked out of the focus mode, but as soon as you start to move your cursor through the text paragraphs (or lines), the focus takes over again. This allows you to focus your editing to one paragraph while still having some context for the surroundings.
Another seemingly simple feature is typewriter mode. There’s really not a lot to this one. Essentially, by turning on typewriter mode your cursor will stay vertically centered on the page. As you type each line, the page slides up one line rather than the cursor moving down the page as you type — the cursor stays on the same line. When you’re using a real typewriter, the ribbon and striking keys stay in the same place because that’s how they’re built. When a line is complete, the piece of paper slides upward and you continue typing in the exact same place, only one line lower on the paper. Again, I originally thought this was not all that useful, but it’s another feature to which I’ve become quite attached.
Syncing
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Byword is a phenomenal writing application for the Mac, but we should also mention its ability to sync to its companion iOS applications as well. This a very handy feature especially since we also consider the iOS version of Byword to be our favorite iPhone Markdown editor. Syncing is seamless and can happen through either iCloud or Dropbox. You can even use both sync methods since you’re able to navigate your connected sync services from your iOS devices.
The syncing is very straightforward. Create a document on any of your connected devices, and it’s available on all of your devices. You can work on your documents wherever you’d like and, when saved, the changes will be reflected across the board.
Moreover, since Byword’s documents are simply text files, syncing your writing in a Dropbox folder allows easy access to your writing from any Mac, Windows, or iOS applications that also have access to Dropbox. An excellent solution if you prefer Byword on the Mac and, say, Editorial on the iPad.
Price
Byword for Mac is currently priced at $11.99, which puts it approximately in the center of the price range for this application category.
The iOS app is a universal application and costs $5.99
Other Options
As has been mentioned more than once in this article, we’d like to reiterate there are a lot of choices in this category. We’re confident Byword is the best, but based on your specific tastes, we’d like to mention a few more solid options that were in the group of candidates for this review.
Similar to Byword
iaWriter and WriteRoom aren’t drastically different from Byword, but lack some of the features we love so much. Both of these applications bill themselves as minimalist, distraction-free writing applications (and they certainly are). In our opinion, they go a bit too far in that direction and are less flexible for more general purpose writing.
Another solid general-purpose Markdown editor choice is Markdown Pro. This is an application that has some great features and generally gets the job done, but it looks and feels a bit dated. Where iaWriter and WriteRoom feel too minimal, Markdown Pro feels too cluttered and lacks the focus and clean design you’ll find in Byword.
Pro-level Editors
There isn’t an abundance of pro-level Markdown editors, but there are definitely a pair of exceptional ones. Our favorite editor in this category (moving beyond a pure Markdown editor) is Ulysses. Ulysses can be used as a basic Markdown editor — in fact, it has that look — but underneath the hood is a crazy amount of functionality geared toward the writer.
Ulysses is an editor that adds more features to our idea of what a Markdown editor is and those features are focused on writers. It’s a very beautiful editor and actually has many of the qualities we love from Byword, but it goes further by adding things like writing statistics and goal setting along with more organizational features and version history. Ulysses is a really lovely application, but it just goes way beyond what we deem as a Markdown editor. That said, if you’re a writer looking for something a bit more than what Byword has to offer, Ulysses this is an excellent choice.
Mac App Free Markdown
If you’re interested in a more robust writer’s companion, then I’d highly recommend giving Ulysses a try. At $45, it’s the most expensive application we’ve mentioned in this article, but that’s a bargain considering the amount of functionality packed within.
Writer Pro is a process focused editor. While it does have the basic Markdown editor features the most prominent feature is how it guides you through a writing and editing workflow. You start a document as a Note then move it through the Write, Edit, and Read parts of the workflow. While this is a very interesting approach and potentially great for some people, but it is opinionated in its workflow so at the same time it isn’t an application for everyone. If it melds with your writing workflow it’s certainly worth a look.
Productivity Editor
FoldingText is a Markdown editor and then some. Markdown is the accepted syntax, but some handy features are layered on top to add some really interesting functionality and amazing flexibility. It bills itself as a text editor with productivity features, and this sums it up nicely.
The basic Markdown editing features are there, but it’s also possible to do things like create todo lists and parse natural language (“in 3 hours”). Think of writing up a schedule with specific times for specific events, similar to Fantastical. Oh, and we should also mention the folding thing (as in Folding Text). Keyboard shortcuts allow you to collapse (fold) and display parts of your document as you see fit. The application is also extensible, so developers have thought of all sorts of creative ways to expand its functionality even further.
It does a bit more than our criteria for a straight Markdown editor, but it is certainly worth checking out if you’re looking for that type of flexibility.
Alternative Markdown Editors
There were a couple of other Markdown editors we tried that stand out in our minds, and our favorite was Lightpaper; a close second was Mou. Both of these applications are beyond just adequate editors, but in reality, they’re both quite similar.
https://yellowinvestment832.weebly.com/blog/mac-mail-app-links. Lightpaper feels more like a writer’s application than Mou. With Lightpaper you’re able to view and navigate through a folder structure within the application and have multiple files open in different tabs. Mou feels a bit more like a utility and something I’d be more apt to open when writing a quick README for a GitHub repo, while Lightpaper is an application I’d be happier to use to write and manage my blog articles. Mou is actually marketed as the “missing Markdown editor for web developers,” so I suppose that makes sense.
Using Byword, there’s a sense that the task at hand is writing, and it’s obvious that this is the primary focus. The application is a Markdown editor, but all the features are geared toward helping you write. Both Lightpaper and Mou feel more utilitarian right out of the box. They are also quite customizable, so you could possibly configure them to look and feel more writer-specific.
Wrap Up
There is no shortage of Markdown editors to choose from these days, and a lot of them are quite good. Our focus was to find the best Markdown editor that (a) helps you write in the proper syntax; (b) makes it easy to export or publish your written words out of Markdown and in to other formats; and (c) generally makes writing easier and more enjoyable.
Byword hits the sweet spot. It’s not overbearing or distracting, yet there’s enough there to make you happy and more productive — and there’s just enough configuration options to allow for some personalization.
On top of this, you’ll find an extremely well thought-out application with a layer of polish that is hard to find elsewhere. In short, if you want to write using Markdown, get Byword.
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