1
serve
Shares tags: ai
AI Tool
showmd Review
showmd is a free, native macOS Quick Look extension for beautifully rendered Markdown previews, supporting AI workflows.
1Free, native macOS Quick Look extension.
2Renders YAML frontmatter as a collapsible table.
3Styles over 20 agentic AI XML tags as labeled blocks.
4Provides syntax highlighting for more than 190 languages.
⚡
showmd at a Glance
🏢
About showmd
</>Embed "Featured on Stork" Badge▼
<a href="https://www.stork.ai/en/showmd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.stork.ai/api/badge/showmd?style=dark" alt="showmd - Featured on Stork.ai" height="36" /></a>
[](https://www.stork.ai/en/showmd)
overview
What is showmd?
showmd is a Markdown rendering tool supporting AI workflows developed by Johannes N. that enables macOS users, AI developers, and technical writers to enhance the previewing of Markdown files directly within Finder. It parses YAML frontmatter into a collapsible metadata table and styles 20+ agentic AI XML tags as labeled blocks. The tool transforms raw Markdown files into rendered, readable documents with a simple press of the spacebar in Finder, addressing the default macOS Quick Look's plain text display. It was launched on Product Hunt on April 16, 2026, where it achieved the #5 product of the day ranking.
quick facts
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Developer | Johannes N. |
| Business Model | Open Source |
| Pricing | Free |
| Platforms | macOS |
| API Available | No |
| Launched | April 16, 2026 |
features
Key Features of showmd
showmd provides a comprehensive set of features designed to enhance Markdown previewing on macOS, particularly for technical documentation and AI-related content. Its capabilities focus on native integration, advanced rendering, and user privacy.
- 1Native macOS Quick Look extension for seamless integration.
- 2Renders GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) including tables, task lists, and footnotes.
- 3Parses YAML frontmatter and displays it as a collapsible metadata table.
- 4Includes a toggle for switching between rendered and source views.
- 5Supports dark mode for improved readability in low-light environments.
- 6Styles over 20 agentic AI XML tags (e.g., <example>, <instructions>) as labeled, bordered blocks.
- 7Offers syntax highlighting for more than 190 programming languages.
- 8Renders LaTeX mathematical expressions using KaTeX.
- 9Displays Mermaid diagrams (flowcharts, sequence diagrams, state machines) directly within the preview.
- 10Operates entirely offline, bundled, and requires zero configuration, ensuring privacy.
use cases
Who Should Use showmd?
showmd is designed for a diverse group of macOS users who frequently interact with Markdown files, especially those involved in development, technical writing, and AI workflows. Its specialized rendering capabilities cater to specific professional needs.
- 1macOS Users: For instant, clean, and formatted previews of .md files directly within Finder, eliminating the need for external editors.
- 2AI Developers and AI Agents Users: To preview README.md, AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, .cursorrules, and other documentation containing complex XML tags and structured prompts used in agentic AI workflows.
- 3Developers and Technical Writers: For quickly reviewing documentation, notes, and other Markdown-based content without opening a full-fledged editor like VS Code or Obsidian.
- 4Content Creators: For efficient review of Markdown-formatted articles, blog posts, and project notes.
pricing
showmd Pricing & Plans
showmd is distributed as a free, open-source macOS application. There are no premium tiers, subscription models, or associated costs for its use. All features are included without charge.
- 1Free: All features included, no cost.
competitors
showmd vs Competitors
showmd differentiates itself within the macOS Markdown preview landscape through its native integration, specialized AI-friendly formatting, and comprehensive rendering capabilities. While several alternatives exist, showmd's focus on agentic AI XML tags and collapsible YAML frontmatter provides distinct advantages.
1
QLMarkdown↗
It's a free, open-source Quick Look extension that uses the same `cmark-gfm` library as GitHub for rendering, ensuring high compatibility with GitHub-flavored Markdown.
Like showmd, QLMarkdown is a free macOS Quick Look extension that supports YAML headers, syntax highlighting, and dark mode. While it renders YAML, it doesn't specifically mention rendering it as a collapsible table or having a rendered/source toggle directly in Quick Look like showmd does.
2
Markdown Preview↗
It's a paid Quick Look extension available on the Mac App Store, offering support for KaTeX math and Mermaid diagrams.
Markdown Preview is a direct Quick Look competitor to showmd, offering similar core Markdown rendering, KaTeX, and Mermaid support. Unlike showmd which is free, Markdown Preview is a paid app ($2.99).
3
PreviewMarkdown↗
It provides both Markdown file preview and icon thumbnailing extensions for macOS, with customizable preview elements like fonts and colors.
Similar to showmd, PreviewMarkdown is a free Quick Look extension that supports YAML front matter and dark mode. It offers more granular control over preview styling through its preferences panel.
4
Telescopo↗
It's a broader document viewer with a free base version, and its Pro version offers 'On-Device AI: Instant summaries using Apple Intelligence' for Markdown files.
Telescopo's free version provides beautiful Markdown rendering on macOS, similar to showmd. Its Pro version uniquely integrates on-device AI for summaries, directly addressing the 'AI Tools' aspect, which showmd handles through specific XML tag rendering.
❓
Frequently Asked Questions
+What is showmd?
showmd is a Markdown rendering tool supporting AI workflows developed by Johannes N. that enables macOS users, AI developers, and technical writers to enhance the previewing of Markdown files directly within Finder. It parses YAML frontmatter into a collapsible metadata table and styles 20+ agentic AI XML tags as labeled blocks.
+Is showmd free?
Yes, showmd is a free, open-source macOS Quick Look extension. All its features are available without any cost, premium tiers, or subscription requirements.
+What are the main features of showmd?
Key features of showmd include native macOS Quick Look integration, rendering of GitHub Flavored Markdown, parsing YAML frontmatter into collapsible tables, styling over 20 agentic AI XML tags, syntax highlighting for 190+ languages, and support for KaTeX math and Mermaid diagrams. It operates offline with zero configuration.
+Who should use showmd?
showmd is primarily intended for macOS users, AI developers, AI agents users, developers, and technical writers who require instant, beautifully rendered previews of Markdown files, especially those containing complex XML tags, YAML frontmatter, or mathematical and diagrammatic content.
+How does showmd compare to alternatives?
showmd distinguishes itself from alternatives like QLMarkdown, Markdown Preview, PreviewMarkdown, and Telescopo by offering specific rendering for 20+ agentic AI XML tags, displaying YAML frontmatter as a collapsible table, and providing a rendered/source toggle. Unlike Markdown Preview, showmd is free and open-source, and it offers a different approach to AI integration compared to Telescopo's on-device AI summaries.