Markdown has become an increasingly popular plaintext formatting syntax used by writers and developers to author content for the web. Its simple and intuitive syntax allows you to format text, add images, and create lists without having to worry about complex HTML markup.
When combined with a good markdown editor, markdown provides a fast, distraction-free writing environment that keeps you focused on your content. Markdown documents can then be exported to HTML and other formats for publishing online.
In this comprehensive guide, we will be looking at the 10 best free and open-source markdown editors available for Linux.
1. Typora – Best Overall
Key Features
- Live preview pane with instant rendering
- Support for GitHub Flavored Markdown
- Seamless images and tables
- Export to PDF, HTML, Word
- Extensive theme support
Overview
Typora is arguably the best markdown editor available not just for Linux but across all platforms. It comes with a clean and intuitive WYSIWYG style interface that renders markdown text instantly in a side-by-side live preview pane.
Additional handy features include native support for GitHub flavored markdown, the ability to seamlessly insert images and tables, export files to various formats, and choose from multiple built-in themes.
Typora also lets you customize themes further via CSS overrides, insert LaTeX mathematical equations, and includes built-inspell-checking functionality.
While the Linux version is still in beta, it is actively maintained and works exceptionally well. Typora is free to use with an optional paid upgrade that unlocks premium themes and advanced features for power users.
Installation
Follow the instructions on their website to install Typora on Linux.
Who It‘s For
- Bloggers and online writers
- Journal and book authors
- Programmers writing documentation
- Students and academics
2. Remarkable – Most Lightweight
Key Features
- Live preview with instant sync scrolling
- Custom CSS and editor themes
- Available on Linux, Windows, and Mac
- Exports HTML and PDF
Overview
Remarkable aims to provide a simple yet capable open-source markdown editor without unnecessary complexity. As soon as you start typing text on the left panel, the rendered output appears instantly on the right preview pane.
The editor and preview panels stay in sync automatically with real-time scrolling. Additional features include support for custom CSS and editor color schemes, shortcut keys for formatting, and export options for both HTML and PDF formats.
Remarkable is written in Python using Tkinter and is available across Linux, Windows, and Mac. It has a small footprint of under 30MB and is incredibly fast even on low resource machines.
For those looking for a fuss-free markdown editor that lets them focus solely on writing, Remarkable hits the sweet spot.
Installation
Remarkable can be installed easily using pip:
pip3 install remarkableWho It‘s For
- Bloggers and writers
- Students and researchers
- Light markdown work on old systems
3. ReText – Feature Rich Plugin Support
Key Features
- Tabbed document interface
- Live HTML preview
- Exports HTML and ODT
- Supports reStructuredText
- Plugin extensions
Overview
ReText is an open source markdown editor that includes standard editing features alongside unique capabilities like file tabs, ReStructuredText support, and python plugin extensibility.
The editor window offers a simple and distraction-free interface to write your documents. You can then switch to the preview tab anytime to view the rendered HTML output. Additional tabs lets you open multiple markdown documents.
ReText exports files to HTML, ODT, PDF, and other text formats. It also allows creating custom python-based plugins to extend its editing and conversion capabilities even further. Plugins for features like spellcheck, graphs, markdown syntax validation, and URL detection are available.
Installation
On Ubuntu and other Debian-based Linux distributions:
sudo apt install retextFor other distros, refer to these install instructions.
Who It‘s For
- Writers looking for extra capabilities
- Developers writing docs and wikis
- Python developers who can build custom plugins
4. Ghostwriter – Distraction Free Writing
Key Features
- Distraction free full screen mode
- Auto-save documents
- Live preview
- Hemingway writing mode
- Cross-platform (including Linux)
Overview
Ghostwriter provides a simple yet feature-rich markdown environment focused on distraction-free writing across different platforms. It comes with the standard editing and preview functionality along with unique capabilities like Hemingway and typewriter modes.
The minimalistic interface hides unnecessary on-screen elements allowing complete focus on your content. You can instantly trigger a full-screen distraction free mode where only your document and some basic formatting options are visible. There is also an auto-save feature to safeguard against losing your work unexpectedly.
Additional capabilities include automatically checking spelling errors, tracking cursor position, customizable templates for faster document creation, and advanced export options.
The editor is based on Qt5 and works seamlessly across Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. If you need a cross-platform markdown writing suite for focused content creation, Ghostwriter hits the mark.
Installation
Ghostwriter can be installed on Ubuntu/Debian via:
sudo apt install ghostwriterPackages for other Linux distributions are available here.
Who It‘s For
- Writers and Journalers
- Bloggers
- Novelists and Story Writers
5. Marker – Advanced MarkdownCapabilities
Key Features
- Dual pane editor
- Diagrams and flowcharts
- Custom mathematical symbols
- Drag and drop images
- Available on Linux, Windows, Mac
Overview
Marker goes beyond basic syntax highlighting and preview to provide a host of advanced capabilities tailored for writing professional documents and books.
It comes with an integrated diagrams editor that allows you to create flowcharts, UML designs, network graphs, and more right inside your markdown files. The symbols and icons panel provides quick access to shapes and connectors you can drag-and-drop onto your diagrams.
Marker also makes it simple to write scientific and mathematical content via custom symbols, formula editors, inline images, and drag-and-drop for figures. Export your documents to DOCX or ODT formats for easier sharing and collaboration.
The editor offers both dark and light themes along with all the standard features you expect in a modern markdown writing environment.
Installation
Marker can be installed on Linux via flatpak package manager:
flatpak install flathub com.github.fabiocolacio.marker Who It‘s For
- Students and researchers
- Writers of technical/scientific papers
- Engineers and project planners
6. UberWriter – Focus on Touch Typing
Key Features
- Touch typing oriented interface
- Full screen distraction free mode
- Auto-save and backup
- Spell checking and statistics
- Available on Linux, Windows, Mac
Overview
UberWriter is a markdown editor tailored for more efficient touch typing and writing. The app puts your cursor right in the center with key formatting options close by rather than buried in menus. Images, links, tables, and other elements can be inserted intuitively through short keyboard shortcuts.
It also provides real-time character, word, and reading time statistics displayed subtly at the bottom without affecting readability. The interface dims out unnecessary on-screen items allowing your content to take center stage. An optional typewriter scrolling mode is also available.
Markdown files get auto-saved locally and can even be backed up automatically to cloud storage services like Google Drive.
UberWriter is available completely free of cost across Linux, Windows, and macOS. If your primary writing medium is touch typing, UberWriter delivers one of the best markdown focused experiences.
Installation
On Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt install uberwriterFor other Linux distros, visit the download page.
Who It‘s For
- Writers focused on 10 finger touch typing
- Authors working on long-form writing projects
7. Markdown Emacs – Seamless Integration with Emacs
Key Features
- Deep integration with Emacs
- Instant preview within Emacs
- Extensive Emacs ecosystem integration
- Export HTML, LaTeX, and more
- Cross-platform (Linux, Mac, Windows)
Overview
Markdown Mode is an Emacs package that allows seamless markdown authoring without leaving your Emacs environment. It renders a live preview of the document within Emacs itself that updates in real-time as you type.
Since the mode integrates deeply with Emacs, you get access to all the tools, shortcuts, commands, and powerful extensibility of Emacs right when editing markdown files. Want to use Org Mode features like TODO states, tables, links with your documents? No problem!
Additional niceties include exporting finished files not just to HTML but also formats like LaTeX (for papers and slides), ODT, PDF, groff man pages, and more. Code blocks can even be exported and executed.
For Emacs power users markdown mode enables leveraging Emacs muscle memory to write markdown content efficiently without context switching.
Installation
If you use Spacemacs, Markdown Mode comes bundled by default.
Otherwise, it can be installed manually in vanilla Emacs using M-x package-install then searching for markdown-mode.
Who It‘s For
- Emacs Users
- Developers writing documentation
- Writers comfortable in Emacs ecosystem
8. Vim Markdown – Tight Integration with Vim
Key Features
- Integrated real-time preview
- Header folding for fast navigation
- Table formatting shortcuts
- Syntax highlighting
- Vim ecosystem integration
- Extensible via Lua
Overview
Like Emacs, Vim too offers a popular markdown plugin that makes authoring long-form markdown content enjoyable within your favorite Vim editor.
The plugin renders an instant preview window synced to the Vim buffer that refreshes asynchronously as you type. Additional capabilities include text folding for header hierarchies to improve document navigation, shortcut keys for formatting tables, automatically closing pairs for markdown syntax (bold, italic, links etc.), and highlight colors for valid markdown.
Integration with snipmate/ultisnips allows inserting reusable text/code blocks efficiently. The plugin architecture itself is extensible via Lua allowing advanced customization if needed.
For Vim enthusiasts, this plugin brings smooth native markdown authoring without adding third-party apps to your toolkit.
Installation
Use your preferred Vim package manager like Vim-plug:
Plug ‘plasticboy/vim-markdown‘ Who It‘s For
- Vim Users
- Developers authoring documentation
- Terminal based writers
9. Visual Studio Code – Top IDE Choice
Key Features
- Live preview and split editor
- IntelliSense auto-completion
- Outline view for navigation
- Git integration
- Extensive ecosystem of plugins and themes
Overview
While technically an IDE tailored for software development, Visual Studio Code has become many programmer‘s editor of choice for markdown writing as well. It comes baked in with a full-featured markdown extension that offers a live side-by-side preview, syntax highlights, document navigation outlines, and Git version control integration.
Additional user-created plugins and themes let you customize the writing environment even further to suit your needs. For example, adding spell checking, auto-generated TOCs, enhancing focus modes, integrating notes, etc.
Given VS Code‘s popularity among developers and growth into areas like web design, more writers are leveraging it for authoring technical documentation and markdown heavy content as well.
Installation
VS Code is cross-platform and the stable open source Linux version is available as a snap or direct download for most distros.
Who It‘s For
- Programmers, developers and geeks writing documentation
- Technical Writers
- Those already comfortable in VS Code ecosystem
10. Joplin – Top Markdown Based Notes App
Key Features
- Cross-platform end-to-end encrypted notes
- Synchronization across devices
- File attachments, to-dos, tags and notebooks
- Terminal usage and CLI cloud sync
- Desktop, mobile and terminal clients
Overview
Joplin is a bit of a wildcard entry in this list but hear me out! It is an open source notes taking application with markdown being the primary format for content. Notes are seamlessly synchronized across the excellent desktop, mobile and terminal based clients.
The markdown implementation supports images, attachments, tables, hyperlinks, headings, etc. alongside additional meta-data like tags and to-do states. A WYSIWYG editor is also available.
Joplin lets you organize notes neatly into hierarchical notebooks for easy accessibility and linking. Everything is encrypted end-to-end and stored in the cloud source of your choice with support for services like Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive.
The desktop client offers a distraction free full screen mode for long form writing. For those looking to level up from basic note taking apps to complete markdown based knowledge management, Joplin is a prime contender.
Installation
Joplin provides official Linux packages and installation instructions here.
Who It‘s For
- Writers maintaining research notes
- Students note taking
- Journalers and bloggers
Conclusion
And that rounds up our hand picked selection of the best markdown editors available for Linux and open source enthusiasts. While traditional word processors still dominate the landscape, the clarity and web focus of markdown continues to capture growing mindshare.
We hope our coverage of both end goals and technical capabilities will help you discover the ideal markdown editor for your specific writing needs among the diverse options featured. Selecting the correct tool goes a long way in making writing pleasurable and maintaining creativity and consistency.
