glow
A terminal-based markdown reader and CLI tool for rendering markdown with style directly in your command line.
What is glow?
Glow is a terminal-based markdown reader that renders markdown files directly in the command line interface with a polished, high-performance pager. It allows users to discover, read, and render markdown from local files, stdin, GitHub/GitLab URLs, or HTTP sources, enhancing the CLI experience with aesthetic styling and interactive browsing.
Developers, system administrators, and technical writers who frequently work in the terminal and need to read or preview markdown documentation, README files, or notes without leaving the command line.
Developers choose Glow for its seamless integration into terminal workflows, offering both a TUI for interactive browsing and a CLI for quick rendering, with customizable styles and performance optimized for the command line.
Overview
Render markdown on the CLI, with pizzazz! 💅🏻
Use Cases
Best For
- Reading local markdown documentation or notes directly in the terminal without switching to a GUI application.
- Previewing GitHub or GitLab README files from URLs without cloning repositories or opening a browser.
- Browsing and discovering markdown files in local directories or Git repositories interactively with a TUI.
- Rendering markdown from stdin in pipelines or scripts for formatted output in the terminal.
- Customizing markdown display with dark, light, or custom JSON stylesheets to match terminal themes.
- Using a configurable pager with word wrapping and hotkey support for a familiar reading experience akin to 'less'.
Not Ideal For
- Teams requiring a graphical markdown editor with live preview and WYSIWYG features.
- Projects that depend on rendering embedded images, videos, or complex diagrams within markdown.
- Workflows centered around converting markdown to other formats like PDF or HTML with precise control over output.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Glow is built specifically for the CLI, offering a TUI and CLI that integrate seamlessly into developer workflows without leaving the terminal, as highlighted by its interactive pager and hotkey support.
It can render markdown from local files, stdin, GitHub/GitLab URLs, and HTTP sources, making it versatile for various scenarios like fetching remote READMEs or processing pipelines.
With auto-detected themes, pre-built styles, and support for custom JSON stylesheets, Glow allows users to tailor the display to their terminal's look, enhancing readability and personalization.
The TUI mode automatically finds and browses markdown files in subdirectories or Git repositories, providing a convenient way to explore local documentation without manual searching.
Cons
Glow lacks any editing capabilities; it's purely a viewer, so users must use separate tools to modify markdown files, which can interrupt workflow efficiency.
As a terminal-based tool, it cannot display images or videos embedded in markdown—they appear only as text links or placeholders, reducing utility for visual documentation.
Creating custom styles requires writing JSON files and understanding the Glamour style system, which can be complex and time-consuming for casual users compared to GUI alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
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mdvStyled Terminal Markdown Viewer
mqA jq-like Markdown query language for command-line processing
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