Here’s the Deal

Smartdown vs Write!

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When comparing Smartdown 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 Smartdown is ranked 33rd. 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
Integrated file library

You can add directories to the sidebar. These directories can be from cloud services (like Dropbox for example).

Pro
Advanced Markdown support

Smartdown supports Critic Markup and MultiMarkdown flavors of Markdown that add advanced functionality, like tables, footnotes, etc.

Pro
Customizable

The app can be themed and the layout can be changed around.

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.