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MiaoYan

Lightweight Markdown note-taking app for macOS

Features

• Fantastic: Local-first, no data collection, split editor & preview, LaTeX, Mermaid
• Beautiful: Minimalist design, three-column layout, dark mode, distraction-free
• Fast: Swift 6 native, better performance than Electron-based apps
• Simple: Lightweight, keyboard shortcuts, auto-formatting

Installation & Setup

1. Download the latest DMG package from GitHub Releases (Requires macOS 11.5+)
2. Double-click the DMG file and drag MiaoYan.app to your Applications folder
3. First Launch: Right-click MiaoYan.app in Applications and select "Open" (don't double-click)
   • If still blocked: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Click "Open Anyway"
   • Or run in Terminal: xattr -cr /Applications/MiaoYan.app && open /Applications/MiaoYan.app
4. Create a MiaoYan folder in iCloud Drive or your preferred location
5. Open MiaoYan Preferences and set the storage location to this folder
6. Click the "New Folder" icon in the top-left corner to create document categories and start writing

Why this security prompt? MiaoYan is not notarized by Apple (requires paid developer account). The app is open source and safe to use - macOS just needs confirmation on first launch.

After installation, we recommend exploring Preferences (⌘,) to discover MiaoYan's rich customization options, including edit modes, themes, fonts, and more to create your perfect writing environment.

Split Editor & Preview Mode

Edit and preview side by side with real-time preview and 60fps bidirectional scroll sync.

Quick Toggle: Press ⌘\ to instantly toggle split view mode, or enable it in Preferences → Interface → Edit Mode → Split Mode.

Why not WYSIWYG like Typora? We prioritize pure Markdown editing experience, and implementing WYSIWYG in native Swift is overly complex with reliability concerns. Split mode maintains clean editing while providing instant visual feedback.

Documentation

• Markdown Syntax Guide - Complete syntax reference with advanced features
• PPT Presentation Mode - Guide to creating presentations with --- slide separators

Support

1. Cats: Tangyuan & Cola — if MiaoYan helps, treat them to canned food 🥩.
2. If you enjoy MiaoYan, please star the project on GitHub and share it with friends who might love it too.
3. Follow me on Twitter for the latest updates or join the Telegram group to chat with the community.

Acknowledgments

• glushchenko/fsnotes - Initial project structure reference
• stackotter/swift-cmark-gfm - Swift Markdown parser
• simonbs/Prettier - Markdown formatting utilities
• raspu/Highlightr - Syntax highlighting
• TsangerType - TsangerJinKai font (default font)
• hakimel/reveal.js - PPT presentation framework
• Vercel - Static hosting for miaoyan.app
  

License

MIT License - Feel free to use and contribute.