Mark Text vs Writing
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Mark Text
Real-time preview Markdown editor for the desktop
VS
Writing
Lightweight distraction-free text editor, in the browser (Markdown and
| Feature | Mark Text | Writing |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 59,781 | ★ 1,118 |
| First released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Typora | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Mark Text if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 59.8k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Writing if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (1.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Mark Text or Writing better?
Mark Text is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Writing if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mark Text and Writing free and open-source?
Yes. Mark Text is licensed under MIT and Writing under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mark Text and Writing with Docker?
Mark Text: check the project docs for container support. Writing: check the project docs for container support.