Which is Better Markdown Parsing Libraries?
markdown-it vs remarkable vs showdown
1 Year
markdown-itremarkableshowdownSimilar Packages:
What's Markdown Parsing Libraries?

Markdown parsing libraries are tools designed to convert Markdown text into HTML. They facilitate the integration of Markdown content in web applications, allowing developers to easily render formatted text. Each library has its unique features, performance characteristics, and extensibility options, making them suitable for different use cases in web development. Understanding the differences can help developers choose the right tool for their specific needs, whether it's for simple Markdown rendering or more complex scenarios requiring customization and extensibility.

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markdown-it5,910,69118,079767 kB127 months agoMIT
remarkable681,3365,741-1304 years agoMIT
showdown663,97214,251801 kB215-MIT
Feature Comparison: markdown-it vs remarkable vs showdown

Extensibility

  • markdown-it: markdown-it offers a robust plugin architecture that allows developers to create custom plugins to extend its functionality. This makes it highly adaptable for various use cases, including adding new syntax, modifying the output, or integrating with other libraries.
  • remarkable: remarkable is designed to be lightweight and does not support a plugin system. While it is fast and efficient, its lack of extensibility means that developers may find it limiting if they need custom features or behaviors beyond the standard Markdown syntax.
  • showdown: showdown provides a simple way to customize its behavior through options but lacks a formal plugin system. It allows for some level of customization, making it suitable for most common use cases without extensive modifications.

Performance

  • markdown-it: markdown-it is optimized for performance, especially when dealing with large documents or multiple conversions. Its architecture allows for fast parsing and rendering, making it suitable for applications that require high throughput.
  • remarkable: remarkable is known for its speed and efficiency, making it one of the fastest Markdown parsers available. It is particularly effective for scenarios where performance is critical, such as real-time applications or large-scale content management systems.
  • showdown: showdown offers decent performance for most use cases, but it may not be as fast as markdown-it or remarkable in scenarios involving large documents or complex Markdown structures.

Learning Curve

  • markdown-it: markdown-it has a moderate learning curve due to its extensive features and plugin system. Developers may need to invest time in understanding how to effectively use plugins and customize the parser to meet their needs.
  • remarkable: remarkable is relatively easy to learn and use, especially for developers familiar with standard Markdown syntax. Its straightforward API allows for quick integration into projects without a steep learning curve.
  • showdown: showdown is user-friendly and easy to integrate, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels. Its simple API and clear documentation facilitate a quick start for those new to Markdown parsing.

Output Customization

  • markdown-it: markdown-it provides extensive options for output customization, allowing developers to control how Markdown is rendered into HTML. This includes the ability to modify the HTML output, add custom classes, and adjust rendering behavior based on specific needs.
  • remarkable: remarkable offers basic output customization options but is more limited compared to markdown-it. Developers can modify some aspects of the output, but it may not support advanced customization scenarios.
  • showdown: showdown allows for some output customization through options, but it is generally less flexible than markdown-it. It provides a good balance for standard use cases without overwhelming developers with complexity.

Community and Support

  • markdown-it: markdown-it has a strong community and is actively maintained, with a wealth of plugins and resources available. This makes it easier for developers to find support and examples for their specific use cases.
  • remarkable: remarkable has a smaller community compared to markdown-it, which may result in fewer resources and plugins available. However, it is still actively maintained and has a dedicated user base.
  • showdown: showdown has a decent community and is well-documented, providing sufficient support for most developers. While it may not have as many plugins as markdown-it, it still offers a solid foundation for Markdown parsing.
How to Choose: markdown-it vs remarkable vs showdown
  • markdown-it: Choose markdown-it if you need a highly extensible parser with a plugin system that allows you to customize the behavior and output. It is well-suited for applications that require advanced features like syntax highlighting, custom rendering, or integration with other libraries.
  • remarkable: Select remarkable if you prefer a lightweight and fast Markdown parser that focuses on performance and simplicity. It is ideal for projects where speed is a priority and the Markdown features required are standard without the need for extensive customization.
  • showdown: Opt for showdown if you are looking for a straightforward and easy-to-use library that provides a good balance between features and performance. It is particularly useful for applications that need basic Markdown conversion without the overhead of additional complexity.
README for markdown-it

markdown-it

CI NPM version Coverage Status Gitter

Markdown parser done right. Fast and easy to extend.

Live demo

  • Follows the CommonMark spec + adds syntax extensions & sugar (URL autolinking, typographer).
  • Configurable syntax! You can add new rules and even replace existing ones.
  • High speed.
  • Safe by default.
  • Community-written plugins and other packages on npm.

Table of content

Install

node.js:

npm install markdown-it

browser (CDN):

Usage examples

See also:

Simple

// node.js
// can use `require('markdown-it')` for CJS
import markdownit from 'markdown-it'
const md = markdownit()
const result = md.render('# markdown-it rulezz!');

// browser with UMD build, added to "window" on script load
// Note, there is no dash in "markdownit".
const md = window.markdownit();
const result = md.render('# markdown-it rulezz!');

Single line rendering, without paragraph wrap:

import markdownit from 'markdown-it'
const md = markdownit()
const result = md.renderInline('__markdown-it__ rulezz!');

Init with presets and options

(*) presets define combinations of active rules and options. Can be "commonmark", "zero" or "default" (if skipped). See API docs for more details.

import markdownit from 'markdown-it'

// commonmark mode
const md = markdownit('commonmark')

// default mode
const md = markdownit()

// enable everything
const md = markdownit({
  html: true,
  linkify: true,
  typographer: true
})

// full options list (defaults)
const md = markdownit({
  // Enable HTML tags in source
  html:         false,

  // Use '/' to close single tags (<br />).
  // This is only for full CommonMark compatibility.
  xhtmlOut:     false,

  // Convert '\n' in paragraphs into <br>
  breaks:       false,

  // CSS language prefix for fenced blocks. Can be
  // useful for external highlighters.
  langPrefix:   'language-',

  // Autoconvert URL-like text to links
  linkify:      false,

  // Enable some language-neutral replacement + quotes beautification
  // For the full list of replacements, see https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it/blob/master/lib/rules_core/replacements.mjs
  typographer:  false,

  // Double + single quotes replacement pairs, when typographer enabled,
  // and smartquotes on. Could be either a String or an Array.
  //
  // For example, you can use '«»„“' for Russian, '„“‚‘' for German,
  // and ['«\xA0', '\xA0»', '‹\xA0', '\xA0›'] for French (including nbsp).
  quotes: '“”‘’',

  // Highlighter function. Should return escaped HTML,
  // or '' if the source string is not changed and should be escaped externally.
  // If result starts with <pre... internal wrapper is skipped.
  highlight: function (/*str, lang*/) { return ''; }
});

Plugins load

import markdownit from 'markdown-it'

const md = markdownit
  .use(plugin1)
  .use(plugin2, opts, ...)
  .use(plugin3);

Syntax highlighting

Apply syntax highlighting to fenced code blocks with the highlight option:

import markdownit from 'markdown-it'
import hljs from 'highlight.js' // https://highlightjs.org

// Actual default values
const md = markdownit({
  highlight: function (str, lang) {
    if (lang && hljs.getLanguage(lang)) {
      try {
        return hljs.highlight(str, { language: lang }).value;
      } catch (__) {}
    }

    return ''; // use external default escaping
  }
});

Or with full wrapper override (if you need assign class to <pre> or <code>):

import markdownit from 'markdown-it'
import hljs from 'highlight.js' // https://highlightjs.org

// Actual default values
const md = markdownit({
  highlight: function (str, lang) {
    if (lang && hljs.getLanguage(lang)) {
      try {
        return '<pre><code class="hljs">' +
               hljs.highlight(str, { language: lang, ignoreIllegals: true }).value +
               '</code></pre>';
      } catch (__) {}
    }

    return '<pre><code class="hljs">' + md.utils.escapeHtml(str) + '</code></pre>';
  }
});

Linkify

linkify: true uses linkify-it. To configure linkify-it, access the linkify instance through md.linkify:

md.linkify.set({ fuzzyEmail: false });  // disables converting email to link

API

API documentation

If you are going to write plugins, please take a look at Development info.

Syntax extensions

Embedded (enabled by default):

Via plugins:

Manage rules

By default all rules are enabled, but can be restricted by options. On plugin load all its rules are enabled automatically.

import markdownit from 'markdown-it'

// Activate/deactivate rules, with currying
const md = markdownit()
  .disable(['link', 'image'])
  .enable(['link'])
  .enable('image');

// Enable everything
const md = markdownit({
  html: true,
  linkify: true,
  typographer: true,
});

You can find all rules in sources:

Benchmark

Here is the result of readme parse at MB Pro Retina 2013 (2.4 GHz):

npm run benchmark-deps
benchmark/benchmark.mjs readme

Selected samples: (1 of 28)
 > README

Sample: README.md (7774 bytes)
 > commonmark-reference x 1,222 ops/sec ±0.96% (97 runs sampled)
 > current x 743 ops/sec ±0.84% (97 runs sampled)
 > current-commonmark x 1,568 ops/sec ±0.84% (98 runs sampled)
 > marked x 1,587 ops/sec ±4.31% (93 runs sampled)

Note. CommonMark version runs with simplified link normalizers for more "honest" compare. Difference is ≈1.5×.

As you can see, markdown-it doesn't pay with speed for its flexibility. Slowdown of "full" version caused by additional features not available in other implementations.

markdown-it for enterprise

Available as part of the Tidelift Subscription.

The maintainers of markdown-it and thousands of other packages are working with Tidelift to deliver commercial support and maintenance for the open source dependencies you use to build your applications. Save time, reduce risk, and improve code health, while paying the maintainers of the exact dependencies you use. Learn more.

Authors

markdown-it is the result of the decision of the authors who contributed to 99% of the Remarkable code to move to a project with the same authorship but new leadership (Vitaly and Alex). It's not a fork.

References / Thanks

Big thanks to John MacFarlane for his work on the CommonMark spec and reference implementations. His work saved us a lot of time during this project's development.

Related Links:

  • https://github.com/jgm/CommonMark - reference CommonMark implementations in C & JS, also contains latest spec & online demo.
  • http://talk.commonmark.org - CommonMark forum, good place to collaborate developers' efforts.

Ports