README editor on Mac
A README.md is plain Markdown: headings, lists, tables, code blocks. Marko opens it formatted on your Mac, you fix the text and the tables, and it saves a .md that still reads well on GitHub. You do not break the file’s compatibility.
Open the README formatted
In a code editor, a README shows as plain text, with its hashes and table pipes. To read the real layout, you have to go to GitHub. Marko shows that layout right on your Mac.
- Open the README.md file in Marko with File > Open.
- Switch to Visual mode: headings, lists, checkboxes and tables fall into place.
- Go back to Source mode when you want to see the exact markup.
Fix the sections that age
A README drifts over time. These are the spots to read first:
| Section | What you fix in Marko |
|---|---|
| Install commands | Update a command or a version inside the code block |
| Config table | Add or drop a row, cell by cell, without counting pipes |
| Task list | Check off what is done with a click |
| Links and paths | Correct a URL or a file path in the text |
What you do not touch stays as written. Marko keeps markup it does not know and the file’s whitespace, so a section already in place holds its shape.
Keep GitHub compatibility
Marko shows GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM): tables are drawn and the checkboxes in a task list are rendered. For GitHub alerts, badges, inline HTML and :rocket: emoji, their text is kept in the file; their GitHub-specific rendering is best checked on the repo itself.
On save, Marko writes plain Markdown. The file stays a .md that GitHub reads back and that your contributors reopen in the editor of their choice. Marko has no Git integration: it opens and saves the file, and you commit it with your usual tool.
Before you commit
Marko aims for a clean output: what you leave alone keeps its bytes, and ticking a checkbox writes only the three characters of its state. A couple of checks save you a surprise in the diff:
- Renaming a heading changes its GitHub anchor, so update any internal
#sectionlinks that pointed to it. - Make sure relative links and image paths still resolve to the right place.
- Read the diff in your Git tool, then commit.
Share a read-only version
Sometimes a README has to go to someone who will not visit the repo: a review, an attachment to a message. Choose File > Export as PDF…; the document comes out paginated as A4, with its formatting. The .md stays the project source. The PDF is produced on your Mac, with nothing sent out.
Frequently asked questions
Does editing a README in Marko break its GitHub compatibility?
No. Marko saves plain Markdown and keeps markup it does not know. The file stays a .md that GitHub reads back normally.
Are tables and checkboxes rendered?
Yes. Marko shows GitHub Flavored Markdown: tables are drawn and the checkboxes in a task list toggle with a click.
Is Marko linked to Git or GitHub?
No. Marko has no Git integration. It opens and saves the README.md file on your disk; you then commit with your usual tool.
Try it on your own file. Open a .md your AI just wrote, fix it and export it. Marko runs on Apple Silicon Macs, macOS 12 or later.
Full 14-day trial, no account or credit card. See pricing