Comment by porjo
I don't want to diminish the effort put into this project, but it's a reminder to me of just how many markdown editors there are out there! And yet I'm still searching for the holy grail:
- wysiwyg editor (not live preview)
- simplicity: single binary that can be pointed at a directory of markdown files
- fast launch time, low latency UI
- cross platform
- comes with basic 'extras' like tables & code block support
I actually really like the Confluence editor experience. If I could get that in an FOSS 'offline' package, my needs would be met.
You've basically described Ferrite's design goals! Let me check the boxes:
Single binary — ~15MB, point it at a directory with ferrite ./notes/ or open workspace via UI
Fast launch, low latency — Native Rust/egui, instant startup, no Electron
Cross platform — Windows/Linux/macOS
Tables & code blocks — GFM tables, syntax-highlighted code blocks (40+ languages)
WYSIWYG — This is where it gets nuanced. Ferrite has three modes:
- Rendered mode — Click-to-edit rendered Markdown (closest to WYSIWYG)
- Split view — Raw editor + live preview side-by-side
- Raw mode — Plain text editing
It's not pure "type and it formats inline" like Typora or Confluence. The Rendered mode lets you click elements to edit them, but it's not seamless WYSIWYG yet.
If you're looking for true inline WYSIWYG, Typora is probably closest. But if split view + rendered mode works for you, give Ferrite a try — it hits the other criteria well.