Markview

What is Markview?

Markview is a native macOS markdown preview application that includes an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for integration with Claude Code. It renders markdown in a live, native window while Claude writes, supporting both preview and split‑pane editing. The server component provides two tools: preview_markdown and open_file.

How to use Markview?

Install the MCP server with claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user markview -- npx mcp-server-markview for Claude Code, or configure claude_desktop_config.json for Claude Desktop. Claude can then call preview_markdown to render any markdown string or open_file to open an existing .md file. The standalone macOS app can be installed via Homebrew (brew install --cask paulhkang94/markview/markview) or built from source.

Key features of Markview

• GitHub Flavored Markdown (tables, strikethrough, autolinks, task lists, footnotes)
• Mermaid diagrams (flowcharts, sequence, Gantt, ER, pie charts)
• Syntax highlighting via Prism.js (18 languages)
• Quick Look integration in Finder
• Live split‑pane editor with bidirectional scroll sync
• File watching with DispatchSource (works with VS Code, Vim)

Use cases of Markview

• Render markdown output from Claude Code in a native macOS window
• Open and preview .md files from the Finder or command line
• Edit markdown with live preview, linting, and auto‑save
• Export markdown documents to HTML or PDF
• Embed Mermaid diagrams and code blocks in markdown documents

FAQ from Markview

How do I install the Markview app?

The recommended method is Homebrew: brew install --cask paulhkang94/markview/markview. Alternatively, you can build from source with Swift 6.0+ on macOS 14+.

Are the app and MCP server versioned together?

No, they are versioned independently. The macOS app (app badge) is updated when the Swift binary changes; the npm MCP wrapper (npm badge) gets patches for MCP server improvements.

What runtime dependencies are needed?

The built app is Apple‑notarized and Gatekeeper‑approved. Building from source requires macOS 14+ and Swift 6.0+ (Xcode Command Line Tools). The MCP server runs via npx and does not require the app to be installed separately.

Where does data live?

Markview opens local .md files; no data leaves your machine. The MCP server communicates over stdio JSON‑RPC. Export creates HTML/PDF files locally.

What transports and authentication does the MCP server use?

The MCP server uses stdio transport with JSON‑RPC. No authentication is required—it runs on your local machine and interacts only with the Claude client.