The Markdown Link no. 47
Links to the best markdown editors, static site generators, CMSs, and markdown viewers and readers
An occasional post1 from The Markdown Handbook.
Among today’s links2 are markdown editors3 Tolaria, Floaters, Local Editor and Telescopo. We also take a quickly look at Glimpse, a markdown viewer that should be an editor.
- Tolaria is a free and open source markdown editor that has been on my list since the start of the year. I’m not entirely sure how it took so long to re-surface. Tolaria’s latest update is the Alpha, or pre-release version. AI is available although not turned on by default. There’s no choice of fonts and the font size is not adjustable, although you can zoom in or out (⌘=/⌘-), but the interface zooms too, not only the editor. Editor width or line-length can be adjusted between normal and wide for the visual view, but this does not affect the raw markdown editor, which when toggled on assumes the full width. Wiki links are enabled with a useful popover so you can find files easily. Git can also be enabled. Export is to PDF only. I can’t help but feel a number of other options should be available here, including export to markdown and .rtf (to appease the MS Word community). Open in default editor would be one solution to getting around this. Feature requests are handled by Canny, so if you have anything you would like to see in Tolaria or would like to upvote anything that is suggested, this is the place to do it. Available for macOS.
- Glimpse is a markdown viewer. Not only that, double-click on a paragraph and it brings up a popover you can edit. Why not go the whole hog and develop a markdown editor? I don’t see the point. Available for macOS.
- Floaters is a markdown editor that acts as a scratchpad and a notes app. It allows notes to float over other apps. Floaters offers a 14-day free trial, after which it costs $25 for a licence. It doesn’t say whether that gets you a lifetime licence or otherwise. Available for macOS.
- Local Editor, as its name suggests, is a local editor for markdown, html, toml, yaml and json. It requires a login to obtain a licence, even a free one. Local Editor installs extensions without giving you the opportunity to say yes or no, but it’s not alone in this respect; many apps do the same. There are no controls over the font choice, font size or editor width in the current version, although I am told by the developer there are plans. Local Editor’s build is heavily influenced by the current fascination with AI. 14-day free trial. Currently has a $15 founding offer ($35 normally). Available for macOS.
- Telescopo is a markdown editor. It has no file tree or library that easily allows you to switch documents. Font size adjustment (⌘+/⌘-) only affects the reading view, not the editor. Export to PDF or open in default editor are the options for getting notes out of Telescopo. No wiki links here, so you’ll have to look elsewhere if you want to personal knowledge base. Seven-day free trial after which it costs £29.99. Available for macOS.
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Try this site’s list of recommended markdown editors.
Small print
Fonts: Many screenshots on this site use a font in the editor called iA Writer Mono, made freely available by the company behind iA Writer, another markdown editor.
Development: I am not a developer. So, I am not the developer of any of the apps mentioned above or elsewhere on this site. Nor am I earning a commission from any of the apps mentioned above or on this site. I wish I was a developer, because I would make the best markdown editor the world had ever seen. Probably.
Testing: I use Macs to test out the apps, usually a 2022 Macbook Air (M2, Silicon); occasionally, a 2017 Macbook Air (Intel). Apps available for other operating systems are merely mentioned as a courtesy, and for the purposes of completeness.