Overview
Synapse transforms your Markdown workflow by providing real-time preview, knowledge graph visualization, and advanced content rendering. Connect your notes, visualize relationships, and organize knowledge with tags and backlinks—all within VS Code.
✨ Features
Enhanced Markdown Preview
- Live Preview Panel: Real-time rendering of Markdown documents with support for extended syntax
- Tables: Full support for pipe tables with alignment control
- Code Highlighting: Syntax highlighting for multiple programming languages
- Mathematical Expressions: LaTeX rendering for inline and block equations
🔗 Knowledge Graph
- Backlink Support: Navigate between documents using
[[document-name]] syntax
- Graph Visualization: Visual representation of document relationships and connections
- Tag System: Organize content with
#tags for easy categorization
- Link Index: Automatic indexing of all links and references

Interactive graph showing document connections and relationships
Diagram Support
- Mermaid Diagrams: Full support for Mermaid syntax including:
- Sequence diagrams
- Flowcharts
- Class diagrams
- State diagrams
- And more
Rich Content Rendering
Callout Blocks
Support for multiple callout types with distinctive styling:
> [!note] - General notes and information
> [!abstract] - Summaries and abstracts
> [!info] - Information blocks
> [!todo] - Action items and tasks
> [!tip] - Tips and hints
> [!success] - Successful outcomes
> [!question] - Questions and FAQs
> [!warning] - Warnings and cautions
> [!failure] - Failure cases
> [!danger] - Dangerous content
> [!bug] - Bug reports
> [!example] - Examples
> [!quote] - Quotes and citations
Checklists
Full support for task lists:
- [x] Completed task
- [ ] Pending task
Block Quotes
Enhanced block quote rendering with support for nested content and formatting.
Usage Examples
Tables and Data
Synapse renders tables beautifully with full alignment control:
| Header 1 |
Header 2 |
Header 3 |
| Left align |
Center align |
Right align |
| Row 1, Col 1 |
Row 1, Col 2 |
Row 1, Col 3 |
| Row 2, Col 1 |
Row 2, Col 2 |
Row 2, Col 3 |
| Fruit |
Color |
Stock |
| Apple |
Red |
120 |
| Banana |
Yellow |
250 |
| Grape |
Purple |
300 |

Real-time table rendering with syntax highlighting
Create knowledge connections with intuitive syntax:
#test #test2 #anothertest
[[document-name]]
[[nested/document]]
Tags are automatically indexed and displayed in the sidebar for quick navigation.
Mermaid Diagrams
Full support for Mermaid diagram syntax:
sequenceDiagram
Alice->>+John: Hello John, how are you?
Alice->>+John: John, can you hear me?
John-->>-Alice: Hi Alice, I can hear you!
John-->>-Alice: I feel so great!
Alice-->>+John: Thanks!

Interactive sequence diagram rendered in preview
Mathematical Expressions
Inline math with LaTeX:
$E = mc^2$
Block equations:
$$
\begin{align}
\nabla \cdot \vec{\mathbf{E}} & = 4 \pi \rho \\
\pi & = 3.14
\end{align}
$$
Matrix notation:
$$
\begin{vmatrix}
a & b \\
c & d
\end{vmatrix} = ad - bc
$$

LaTeX math rendering with proper formatting
Callout Blocks
Rich callout support for organized information:

Styled callout blocks with icons and colors
> [!note]
> General notes and information
> [!tip]
> Helpful tips and hints
> [!warning]
> Important warnings
> [!success]
> Success messages
> [!question]
> Questions and FAQs
> [!danger]
> Dangerous content
> [!example]
> Examples and demonstrations
Task Lists
Organized task management:
- [x] Completed task
- [x] Another completed task
- [ ] Pending task
- [ ] Future task
💻 Code Highlighting
import os
if a in b:
print("Hello, World!")
Supported languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, C++, Rust, Go, and many more.
Embedding Content
Embed external files and images:
![[file.md]]
![[image.png]]
![[document.pdf]]

External content embedded and rendered seamlessly
Views & Interface
Preview View
Real-time live preview of your Markdown content with all advanced formatting rendered instantly:
Live preview panel showing rendered content side-by-side with source
- Instant rendering as you type
- Full support for all extended syntax
- Syntax highlighting for code blocks
- Mathematical expressions and diagrams
- Interactive links and backlinks
Graph View
Visual knowledge base with interactive graph visualization:

Interactive network graph showing document relationships and tags
- Connected Documents: See how your files relate to each other
- Backlink Relationships: Visual representation of bidirectional links
- Tag Correlations: Document grouping by tags
- Network Topology: Interactive exploration of your knowledge base
- Zoom & Pan: Navigate large graphs intuitively
Getting Started
Installation
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Search for "Synapse"
- Click Install
Quick Start
- Create or open a Markdown file
- Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
- Search for "Synapse Preview" to open the preview panel
- Search for "Synapse Graph" to visualize your knowledge base
Example Workflow
# My Knowledge Base
## Topic 1
#project #important
Content with [[Topic 2]] reference...
## Topic 2
#project
[[Topic 1]] | [[Topic 3]]
\`\`\`
code example
\`\`\`
System Requirements
| Requirement |
Version |
| VS Code |
1.60.0 or higher |
| Node.js |
12.x or higher |
| OS |
Windows, macOS, Linux |
⌨Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Open Command Palette |
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P |
| Open Preview |
Search "Synapse Preview" |
| Open Graph View |
Search "Synapse Graph" |
| Toggle Preview |
Ctrl+Shift+V / Cmd+Shift+V |
Advanced Features
Extended Markdown Support
- Pipe Tables with alignment
- Task Lists with checkboxes
- Callout Blocks with multiple types
- LaTeX mathematical expressions
- Mermaid diagrams (sequence, flowchart, class, state, etc.)
- Code Highlighting for 100+ languages
- Block Quotes with nesting
- Inline Formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough, etc.)
Knowledge Management
- Automatic backlink detection
- Bidirectional link support
- Tag-based organization
- Link preview on hover
- Broken link detection
- Efficient graph rendering
- Real-time preview updates
- Optimized for large document networks
- Smooth scrolling and panning
- Memory-efficient tag indexing
Configuration
Synapse works out of the box with sensible defaults. For advanced configuration:
- Open Settings (Ctrl+Comma / Cmd+Comma)
- Search for "Synapse"
- Configure options as needed
🐛 Troubleshooting
Graph not loading?
- Ensure markdown files contain valid backlink syntax:
[[document]]
- Check file paths are accessible
Preview not updating?
- Save the markdown file to trigger refresh
- Reload window: Ctrl+Shift+P → "Reload Window"
- Close unnecessary preview tabs
- Reduce graph node count by filtering tags
- Check VS Code memory usage in Task Manager
For additional issues, please open an issue on GitHub.
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
- Commit changes (
git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
- Push to branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
- Open a Pull Request
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE file for details.
Support & Feedback
Found a bug? Have a feature request? Please open an issue on GitHub.
For questions or discussions, reach out via GitHub Discussions.
Synapse — Connecting your knowledge base
Transform the way you work with Markdown