Dillinger — Cloud-Native Markdown Editor in the Browser

Introduction

Dillinger is an open-source, cloud-native Markdown editor that runs in the browser. It provides a clean, minimal writing environment with live preview and integrates with popular cloud storage services for seamless document management.

What Dillinger Does

• Provides a split-pane editor with live Markdown preview
• Syncs documents with GitHub, Bitbucket, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive
• Exports finished documents to HTML and styled PDF formats
• Supports GitHub Flavored Markdown including tables, task lists, and fenced code
• Offers a Zen Mode for fullscreen, distraction-free writing

Architecture Overview

Dillinger is built on Next.js with a Node.js backend that handles OAuth authentication and cloud storage API integration. The editor uses CodeMirror for text editing with custom Markdown extensions. Documents are stored locally in the browser and synced to cloud providers on demand.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Deploy with Docker using the official image from Docker Hub
• Build from source with Node.js and npm for custom configurations
• Set environment variables for OAuth credentials per cloud provider
• Runs behind any reverse proxy for SSL termination
• No database needed; user state is managed via browser storage and cloud APIs

Key Features

• Instant live preview with scroll synchronization between editor and output
• One-click import from and export to multiple cloud storage providers
• Clean, responsive design that works on desktop and tablet browsers
• Auto-save to local browser storage prevents data loss
• Drag-and-drop file import for quick Markdown editing sessions

Comparison with Similar Tools

• StackEdit — similar browser-based editor with more rendering extensions (math, diagrams)
• HedgeDoc — focuses on real-time collaboration; Dillinger is single-user
• Typora — polished desktop WYSIWYG editor (proprietary); Dillinger is free and browser-based
• Mark Text — open-source desktop editor; Dillinger requires no installation
• Notion — full workspace platform; Dillinger is a focused Markdown writing tool

FAQ

Q: Can I self-host Dillinger? A: Yes. Clone the repository or use the Docker image. You will need to configure OAuth credentials for each cloud provider.

Q: Does it support offline editing? A: Dillinger auto-saves to browser local storage so you can continue writing without a connection, but cloud sync requires connectivity.

Q: What Markdown flavor does it use? A: It supports GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) including tables, strikethrough, task lists, and fenced code blocks.

Q: Can multiple people edit the same document? A: No. Dillinger is a single-user editor. For collaborative editing, use HedgeDoc or HackMD.

Sources

• https://github.com/joemccann/dillinger
• https://dillinger.io/