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 desktop support for Windows, Linux, and macOS.

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

• 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+S, 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.

Recent releases from v1.4.5 onward focus on faster navigation, safer desktop workflow, and richer local previews.

• Workspace links: links that start with /, ./, or ../ navigate to files inside the current workspace and stay in back/forward history.
• Reading polish: table Wrap/Unwrap controls, code gutter selection highlighting, compact Markdown chrome, and clearer string interpolation make dense docs easier to scan.
• Desktop recovery: workspace switching is confirmed, unavailable workspaces show recovery actions, and stale recent entries can be removed.
• Theme Remix: create, duplicate, edit, import, and export custom themes with color, density, spacing, and optional background image controls.
• Content File Tabs and Scope Focus: keep opened docs in tabs, narrow the sidebar to selected files/folders for the current workspace, and automatically keep scoped files aligned when the workspace changes.
• Converted document previews: enable best-effort local previews for DOCX, PDF, HTML, XLSX, PPTX, ODT, ODP, ODS, RTF, and TXT.
• Sidebar Cursor mode: press Alt+S, move with Up/Down, press Enter to expand folders or open files, and press Esc or click outside the sidebar to exit.

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

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.

Mermaid diagrams render offline, LaTeX math is readable, code blocks are highlighted, and Markdown can include local or streaming video.

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

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.

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.

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

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

• Website
• VS Code Marketplace
• Open VSX
• Latest GitHub Release
• Changelog
• 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 💕.

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

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!