Previewing Markdown as rendered HTML

Markdown is a plain-text format where lightweight symbols stand in for formatting: # for headings, * for emphasis, and dashes for lists. A preview tool renders that text into the HTML you would actually see, side by side with the source, so you can confirm a README or a comment looks right before you publish it.

Why a live preview helps

Markdown is forgiving until it is not. A missing blank line before a list, an unclosed code fence, or a stray asterisk can quietly break the layout. A preview catches these instantly instead of after you push to a repository. It also shows how your specific flavor handles things, since GitHub Flavored Markdown adds tables, task lists, and strikethrough that plain Markdown does not include.

Example

Markdown source:

# Setup

Install with:

- Node 18+
- **npm** or pnpm

Run `npm start`.

Rendered result (described):

A large "Setup" heading
A paragraph "Install with:"
A bullet list with two items, "npm" in bold
A line with "npm start" styled as inline code

FAQ

Why did my list not render? Most parsers need a blank line between a paragraph and the list that follows it. Without the gap, the list items fold into the paragraph.

Is raw HTML allowed? Markdown lets you drop in HTML, but renderers that sanitize input will strip tags like script for safety. Do not rely on inline styles in contexts you do not control.

Which flavor should I target? If your text lives on GitHub, write for GitHub Flavored Markdown. For a tidy source file before pasting, run it through the word counter to check length.