Markdown Explorer

Markdown files are built for AI agents. Markdown Explorer makes them pleasant for humans.

It turns .md and .mdx folders into a private, searchable documentation app with workspace navigation, rendered diagrams, math, videos, highlighted code, interactive tables, charts, tabs, and support for VS Code, Chromium browsers, desktop apps (Windows, Linux, macOS), and an interactive demo web app.

Homepage: https://the-long-ride.github.io/markdown-explorer/

Why It Feels Different

• Read workspaces, not loose files: file tree, table of contents, section cards, copy buttons, recent workspaces, and desktop tabs.
• Preview more document types: opt in to local conversion for DOCX, PDF, HTML, XLSX, PPTX, ODT, ODP, ODS, RTF, and TXT files, with an in-app note that converted previews may lose layout or formatting quality.
• Search where you need: current file, current workspace, or every open desktop tab, with content excerpts and exact jump-to-result behavior.
• Stay keyboard-first: use Sidebar Cursor mode to move through folders and files with Alt+Z, arrow keys, Enter, and Esc.
• Shape the workspace: file tabs, Scope Focus, Theme Remix, and settings import/export keep large doc sets personal without changing project files.
• Render rich Markdown: Mermaid, LaTeX math, images, streaming video, MDX, HTML sandboxes, callouts, frontmatter, and code blocks.
• Use data inside docs: sort, filter, multi-select table filters, collapse large tables, and switch tables into Bar, Line, or Pie charts.
• Stay private: rendering and indexing are local. No telemetry, no file uploads.

Installation

VS Code Extension Tutorial

Open any folder containing Markdown files in VS Code to get started. Use the Markdown Explorer button in the workspace header, or open the Command Palette:

[!TIP] Icon Missing? The Explorer header icon adapts automatically to your VS Code color theme. If it does not appear after installing or updating, run Developer: Reload Window in the Command Palette.

Features

Search Modes

Find the exact content you need, then jump to the exact clicked match.

Tables That Stay Useful

Markdown tables become real data views: search rows, sort columns, multi-select filter values, keep large datasets collapsed, and switch to charts when numeric data is detected.

Diagrams, Math, Code, Media

Mermaid diagrams render offline using the current Markdown Explorer theme with family-aware spacing and vector-safe SVG polish. Changing the theme, light/dark mode, or Mermaid font re-renders visible diagrams in the current document. LaTeX math is readable, code blocks are highlighted, and Markdown can include local or streaming video.

HTML And Media Tools

Use isolated HTML previews for interactive examples, and inspect images or diagrams in a zoomable media modal.

Windows File Explorer

The Windows installer provides checked-by-default choices to create a desktop shortcut, add Open with Markdown Explorer for .md and .mdx files, and add Open Folder in Markdown Explorer to folder and empty-folder-background menus. Opening a Markdown file loads its containing folder as the workspace and displays that selected file. Opening a folder loads that exact folder. In Tab view this opens a workspace tab; in Focus view it replaces the current workspace. Portable and ZIP builds do not modify File Explorer automatically.

Desktop Workspace

The desktop app opens recent folders quickly, supports drag-and-drop opening, can keep multiple workspaces alive in tabs, and automatically refreshes open workspaces from native filesystem change events without polling. Workspace loading shows the running scan count; if a scan lasts longer than three seconds, Markdown Explorer opens with the files found so far and refreshes the tree in cumulative batches of 32 while scanning continues. An empty-workspace message appears only after scanning finishes with no supported files.

Converted Document Previews

Markdown Explorer can optionally show DOCX, PDF, HTML, XLSX, PPTX, ODT, ODP, ODS, RTF, and TXT files by converting them to Markdown locally with @the-long-ride/markdown-them.

Turn on Read DOCX, PDF, Office, and text files in Settings. The app scans those extra extensions only after the toggle is enabled, converts files only when opened, and caches converted Markdown by file timestamp and size for faster repeat views. Converted previews are best-effort and can differ from the original layout, tables, images, or styling.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Desktop shortcuts can be customized in Settings. VS Code keeps editor-friendly defaults inside the webview.

Privacy

• No telemetry.
• No file upload.
• Local parsing, indexing, rendering, and search.
• MIT licensed public source.

Links

• Website
• Demo Web App
• VS Code Marketplace
• Open VSX
• Latest GitHub Release
• Changelog
• Issues

Report Issues

Bug reports and feature ideas are very welcome. Clear reports make fixes faster, and screenshots or tiny sample Markdown files are especially helpful.

Before opening a new issue, please take a quick look at the existing issues so we can keep related reports together.

When you open an issue, include what you can:

• Short title: one clear sentence, such as Search result opens wrong match.
• App surface: VS Code extension or desktop app.
• Version: app or extension version, plus OS.
• Steps to reproduce: the smallest click/key sequence that triggers the problem.
• Expected behavior: what you thought should happen.
• Actual behavior: what happened instead.
• Screenshot or screen recording: useful for layout, theme, zoom, and interaction bugs.
• Minimal Markdown sample: helpful for parser, Mermaid, math, table, video, or code-block issues.
• Console or log output: include errors from VS Code Developer Tools, Electron Developer Tools, or the terminal when available.

No need to make it perfect. A small reproducible example is already a huge gift to the project 💕.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Author

the-long-ride - passionate about making Markdown more enjoyable and useful for everyone. If you find this project helpful, consider starring the repository or sharing it with others who might benefit!