Here’s the Deal

Markdown Edit vs Write!

10 5

24 7

When comparing Markdown Edit vs Write!, the Slant community recommends Write! for most people. In the question“What are the best open source Markdown editors for UNIX-like systems?” Write! is ranked 10th while Markdown Edit is ranked 25th. The most important reason people chose Write! is:

Write! has tabs at the top and a tree view on the left that allows quickly switching between different files.

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Common Questions

What are the best open source Markdown editors for UNIX-like systems?

Pros

Pro
Free and open source

Licensed under MIT.

Pro
Real-time HTML preview with synchronized scrolling

Markdown Edit is split in two panes. One pane is used for writing Markdown, the other shows the rendered HTML as it's written.

Pro
Allows easily switching between working on multiple files

Write! has tabs at the top and a tree view on the left that allows quickly switching between different files.

Pro
Interface doesn't get in the way of work

The interface is minimal, when it's windowed there are no buttons or toolbars, so it doesn't distract from work. When it's in fullscreen, there's just text, no interface at all.

Pro
Endless undo/redo

Write! uses a file format that saves all versions of a document. Meaning even if the app is closed and then opened up again, Write! can restore any previous version of the document.

Pro
Can double as a to-do list app

Write! has a to-do list mode that allows creating lists of items in groups (tabs) that can be ticked off when completed.

Pro
Picks up where you left off next time you start the app

Write! saves the state that it's in when closed and restores that state when opened. You can pick up working on documents in the exact same place you left off - same documents open, same cursor placement, etc.

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Cons

Con
Dead project

Con
Covers taskbar when maximised

When maximised, the window covers the taskbar completely even when the taskbar is set to be on top of other windows.

Con
Does not support pasting images from the clipboard (unless online)

This editor boasts that it's a desktop (i.e. offline) markdown editor where you can copy and paste images directly in the editor which is a feature that many other markdown editors struggle to implement. Unfortunately this is misleading, since the only way to paste an image in the editor is to be online. If, like many of us out there, you want to work offline, this feature will be broken as it requires an internet connection, which is weird for an editor that boasts being a desktop app!!