There are many Markdown editors for Linux, and they continue to grow. The problem is that, like Boostnote, most are designed for coders and may not be popular with non-technical people. Let’s look at a Markdown editor that wants to replace Word and an expensive Word processor for non-technical people. Let’s take a look at Zettlr.

Zettlr Markdown editor

I may have mentioned once or twice on the site that I prefer to write all my documents in Markdown. It’s easy to learn and doesn’t leave you stuck with proprietary document formats. I also mentioned the Markdown editor in my list of open source tools suitable for authors.

I’ve used many Markdown editors, but I’m always interested in trying new ones. Recently, I came across Zettlr, an open source Markdown editor.

Zettlr was created by a German sociologist/political theorist named Hendrik Erz. Hendrik founded Zettlr because he was unhappy with current word processors. He wanted an editor that would let him “focus on writing and reading.”

After discovering Markdown, he tried out several Markdown editors on different operating systems. But none of them had what he wanted. According to Hendrik, “But I had to realize that there was no editor written to efficiently organize large amounts of text. Most edits are written by coders, so they can meet the needs of engineers and mathematicians. There is no editor for students of social science, history or political science like me. “

So he decided to create his own. In November 2017, he began writing Zettlr.

Zettlr function

Zettlr has a number of neat features, including:

  • Import sources from the Zotero database and reference them in the document * using optional line masking, Allows you to focus on writing without interruption * support for code highlighting * Use tags to sort information * Ability to set writing goals for that task * View writing statistics over time * Tomato clock timer * Light/dark themes * Create presentations with reveal. Js * Quick preview of documents * You can search Markdown documents in a project folder and use a heat map to show the density of word searches. * Export files to HTML, PDF, ODT, DOC, reStructuredText, LaTex, TXT, Emacs ORG, TextBundle and Textpack * Add custom CSS to your document

As I write this, a dialog box pops up telling me that 1.3.0 Beta was recently released. This beta will include several new themes, as well as a bunch of fixes, new features and improvements.

Install Zettlr

Currently, the only Linux repository that can install Zettlr is AUR. If your Linux distribution is not based on Arch, you can download the installer for macOS, Windows, Debian, and Fedora from the website.

One last thought on Zettlr

Note: TO test Zettlr, I used it to write this article.

Zettlr has many neat features THAT I wish my previous editor of choice (GhostWriter) had, such as setting word targets for documents. I also like the ability to preview documents without opening them.

I ran into a few problems, but these were more due to Zettlr working slightly differently than GhostWriter. For example, when I try to copy a reference or name from a website, it pastes inline styles into Zettlr. Fortunately, it has a “Paste without style” option. A few times I had a slight delay while typing. But that’s probably because it’s an Electron procedure.

Overall, I think Zettlr is a good choice for first-time Markdown users. It has many of the features that the Markdown editor already has, and adds some functionality for those who have only ever used a word processor.

As Hendrik puts it on Zettlr, “Unshackle yourself from a word processor and see how your writing process can be improved by the technology around you!”

If you find Zettlr useful, consider supporting Hendrik. As he says on the site, “It’s free because I don’t believe in a cut-throat, early-death entrepreneurial culture. I was just trying to help.”

Have you ever used Zettlr? What’s your favorite Markdown editor? Let us know in the comments below.

If you find this post interesting, share it on social media, Hacker News, or Reddit.

Via: itsfoss.com/zettlr-mark…

By John Paul lujun9972

This article is originally compiled by LCTT and released in Linux China