66IDEAS  /  № 22
MD22

Markdown, read the way it deserves.

MD22 is a native, read-only Markdown reader for macOS 26 and Apple silicon. Open any .md file from any folder - no vault, no account, no import - and read it rendered richly: code, tables, math, Mermaid, callouts, five distinct themes, an outline, search, bookmarks, and publication-quality HTML and PDF export. The specification is the product; the Mac app is the proof.

Download for macOSRead the spec

v1.0.0 · 5.8 MB DMG · macOS 26 or later, Apple silicon · Developer ID signed and Apple-notarized · all releases & checksums

MD22 in the Light theme showing a project README

Light theme. A README rendered as it was meant to look - badges, headings, emphasis. Pinned and recent files on the left, the outline on the right, words and reading time in the status bar.

MD22 in the Dark theme showing tables

Dark theme. Tables, inline code, and colour tokens in a long document. Themes carry their own typography, spacing, and code styling - not just colours.

MD22 in the Blueprint theme

Blueprint theme. One of five themes with a real identity. Switch from the status bar; the outline follows the section you are reading.

Full-text search in MD22 with a bookmarked heading

Search and bookmarks. Every match highlighted, a counter with the current section, keyboard navigation between hits - and a bookmark on the heading, stored beside the file, never inside it.

One spec, one implementation - so far

One implementation proves the spec; it does not exhaust it. A Windows reader in .NET? A Linux build in GTK? The specification is the same - build it.

What the specification covers

Eighteen things, fully specified.

Each of these is defined in functionality, UX, and architecture - and proven in the Mac implementation. Click a row for the detail.

Open anything, anywhereDrop it, double-click it, Open With

Drag a Markdown file in, open it from the Finder, or associate .md files with the app. No vault, no workspace, no import - a file is displayed without indexing its folder.

History with pinsEverything you read, one click away

A persistent history panel, each file once, most recent on top. Pin the important ones and reorder them by hand; clearing history keeps the pins. Files that went missing stay listed and marked.

Rich renderingCode, tables, math, Mermaid, callouts

Syntax-highlighted code with a copy action, tables, task lists, footnotes with back-navigation, math notation, Mermaid diagrams, admonitions, and embedded HTML - with no plugins to install.

Five display themesLight, dark, sci-fi, blueprint, 8-bit

Themes with a real identity, not colour swaps - typography, spacing, code, tables, backgrounds, subtle motion. Switch any time from the status bar; the document stays legible in every one.

OutlineThe document at a glance

A collapsible heading outline that mirrors the document, highlights the section you are reading, and updates when the file changes.

SearchFind it, jump to it

Full-text search in the displayed document with every match highlighted, a match counter, and keyboard navigation between hits.

BookmarksWithout touching the file

Bookmark a heading, a selected passage, or simply where you are. Stored beside the source, never inside it; visible per document or across all files; they outlive history clean-ups.

Reading statusProgress, section, words, minutes

A status bar with reading progress, the current section, word count, and estimated reading time - updating as you go.

Reading preferencesYour readability, every theme

Font size, line spacing, content width, reduced motion, and high contrast - global settings that override any theme, resettable in one click.

Auto-refreshAlways the saved version

The document refreshes when its file changes, keeps your reading position, and tells you it did - without ever writing to the source.

Resume readingPick up where you left off

Every file remembers its reading position; the app reopens the last document exactly there - even after the entry was removed from history.

Distraction-free layoutPanels when you want them

Show or hide the history and outline panels independently, or drop into distraction-free reading with one action. The layout is remembered.

Project-relative linksDocuments that belong together

Relative images render, relative links to other Markdown files open in place, anchors jump, external links go outside - with back and forward navigation and clear markers for missing targets.

HTML exportOne click, next to the source

Export the displayed document as HTML beside the original - no Save As dialog, no overwriting, structure preserved, nothing generated that was not in the source.

PDF exportPublication typography, A4

Portrait A4 with 12 mm margins and print-tuned type: 10.5-point body, proportionate headings, real pagination that keeps headings with their content. No print dialog, no page furniture.

Export styleRead in one theme, publish in another

The export theme is chosen independently of the display theme and remembered for next time; animated themes render as clean static output.

Multiple windowsMore than one document at once

Open any history entry or bookmark in a new window - the same file twice if you like - without disturbing the current view.

Read-only by designYour files are never changed

No editing, no saving, no account, no sign-in, no dashboard between you and your last document. Every feature works without modifying a single source file.

Alexander Ilg
Why "22"? - Alexander Ilg
Markdown was born in 2004. In 2026 it turns 22 - old enough to deserve a reader that treats it as a first-class format, not a plain-text afterthought.

Specification and reference implementation: github.com/66IDEAS/MD22.

Download for macOS Read the spec

v1.0.0 · 5.8 MB DMG · macOS 26 or later, Apple silicon · Developer ID signed and Apple-notarized · all releases & checksums