Markdown Previewer

Write Markdown in the left pane and the right pane renders it as you type, with a live character count and a one-click export to a standalone HTML file.

What is the Markdown Previewer?

Markdown is a plain-text way of writing formatted documents: a hash makes a heading, asterisks make text bold or italic, a hyphen starts a list item and pipes lay out a table. John Gruber designed it in 2004 so the source would stay readable even before anything converts it, which is why README files, chat apps, note-taking tools and static site generators all speak it. The catch is that you cannot always tell from the source whether a nested list or a table will come out right, which is exactly what a side-by-side preview solves.

Key Features

• Split view with the editor on the left and the rendering on the right
• GitHub Flavored Markdown, including tables, strikethrough and fenced code blocks
• Single line breaks are honored, matching how most chat editors behave
• A live character count in the editor header
• Download a complete HTML file, or copy the preview as plain text

Common Use Cases

• Checking that a README renders correctly before pushing it to a repository
• Drafting release notes or documentation with the rendered version alongside
• Turning a Markdown note into a self-contained HTML page you can open anywhere
• Learning the syntax by editing the sample and watching each change take effect

How to Use the Markdown Previewer

1. Clear or edit the sample document in the Markdown Editor pane on the left.
2. Type your Markdown; the preview and the character count update on every keystroke.
3. Treat the loaded sample as a cheat sheet for headings, tables, blockquotes and rules.
4. Click Copy to take the preview as plain text with the formatting stripped out.
5. Click HTML to download the rendered document as markdown-preview.html.

Tips for Best Results

• Single newlines become line breaks here, so leave a blank line to start a genuinely new paragraph.
• Copy returns plain text rather than markup; use the HTML download when you need the tags.
• Tables need the row of hyphens and pipes beneath the header, as the sample document shows.
• On a narrow screen the two panes stack vertically, so scroll down to reach the preview.

Why Use WiserWork's Markdown Previewer?

A preview beside the editor removes the guesswork that is specific to Markdown: whether the table lined up, whether a blockquote swallowed the following paragraph, whether a nested list indented far enough. Rendering goes through the marked parser in GitHub Flavored mode, so what appears here matches what a repository README or an issue comment will show. The HTML export writes a finished document with a doctype, a character-set declaration and readable page styling, not a bare fragment.

Who Uses the Markdown Previewer?

Developers writing README files and pull request descriptions, technical writers drafting documentation, and students keeping notes in Markdown are the regular audience. It suits anyone new to the syntax equally well, since the effect of each symbol is visible without installing an editor first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which flavor of Markdown is supported?

GitHub Flavored Markdown, rendered by the marked parser version 4.2.9, which adds tables, strikethrough and fenced code blocks on top of the original syntax.

Why did my two lines not join into one paragraph?

The parser runs with line breaks enabled, so a single newline becomes a line break instead of being folded into the paragraph. Leave a blank line between paragraphs.

What exactly does the Copy button copy?

The visible text of the preview with formatting removed, not the HTML and not your Markdown source. Use the HTML button when you want the markup.

What is in the downloaded file?

A complete page named markdown-preview.html containing a doctype, a UTF-8 declaration, a title and your rendered content, with simple readable styling applied inline.

Are links and images rendered?

Yes. Links are styled and clickable, and images display at up to the width of the preview pane with rounded corners.

Is there syntax highlighting in code blocks?

No. Fenced code blocks appear in a monospace panel on a dark background with horizontal scrolling, but the code is not colored by language.

How large a document can I paste?

No limit is imposed and the character counter simply keeps climbing. A very long document re-renders on every keystroke, so typing may start to feel slower.

Does my Markdown get uploaded?

No. Parsing happens inside the page. The parser library is fetched from a public CDN when the page loads, but your text itself is never sent anywhere.

What happens if my Markdown is malformed?

The preview shows a red Error parsing markdown notice instead of a broken layout, and recovers as soon as you correct the input.

Can I mix raw HTML into my Markdown?

Yes. The parser passes HTML straight through, so inline tags render in the preview and are carried into the downloaded file as well.

Paste a README or start from the sample and the rendered version keeps pace with every keystroke, so a broken table or a runaway blockquote shows up while you are still writing rather than after you publish.