Head-to-Head: markdown-it vs Micromark Analysis

markdown-it

v14.1.0(4 months ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are provided via a separate npm package: @types/markdown-itNumber of direct dependencies: 6Monthly npm downloads

Markdown-it is a fast and feature-rich Markdown parser for JavaScript. It is highly customizable and extensible, allowing developers to tailor the parsing rules and output to suit their needs. Markdown-it supports the full CommonMark spec and provides a wide range of plugins for additional functionalities like syntax highlighting, emoji support, and more. It is widely used in projects that require parsing Markdown content into HTML for rendering on websites or applications.

Alternatives:
remarkable+
showdown+
marked+
commonmark+
markdown-it+
turndown+
snarkdown+
markdown-js+
micromark+
unified+

Tags: javascriptmarkdownparserCommonMarkHTML

micromark

v4.0.0(about 1 year ago)

This package was last published over a year ago. It may not be actively maintained.Types definitions are bundled with the npm packageNumber of direct dependencies: 17Monthly npm downloads

Micromark is a fast and efficient markdown parser that converts markdown syntax into an abstract syntax tree (AST). It is designed to be lightweight and modular, allowing developers to customize and extend its functionality easily. Micromark is known for its speed and small footprint, making it ideal for parsing markdown content in various applications.

Alternatives:
remark-parse+
markdown-it+
marked+
commonmark+
showdown+
snarkdown+
markdown-wasm+
turndown+
markdown-js+
marpit+

Tags: markdownparserASTlightweightmodular

Fight!

Popularity

markdown-it and micromark are both popular choices for parsing and rendering Markdown. However, markdown-it has a larger and more established community, with a longer history of development and a larger number of downloads.

Features

markdown-it is known for its extensive set of features and customization options. It supports plugins, allowing developers to add functionality such as syntax highlighting, table of contents, and custom parsers. On the other hand, micromark focuses on minimalism and simplicity, providing a lightweight and fast Markdown parser.

Performance

micromark is designed to be fast and efficient, with a minimalistic approach to parsing Markdown. It aims to provide excellent performance even with large and complex Markdown files. markdown-it is also performant, but due to its richer feature set and extensibility, it may be slightly slower than micromark in some scenarios.

Compatibility

Both packages are compatible with Node.js and can be used on the server-side. markdown-it also has support for browser usage, allowing you to use it in client-side JavaScript applications. micromark, on the other hand, is primarily targeted at server-side usage and may require additional setup for browser compatibility.

Developer Experience

markdown-it provides a comprehensive and well-documented API, along with a vibrant community and resources. It is widely used and has good community support. micromark has a simpler API and may require less configuration. However, its community and resources may be relatively smaller compared to markdown-it.

Maintenance

markdown-it is actively maintained and regularly updated, with bug fixes and new features being added by the community. It has a larger and more active community, which contributes to its ongoing maintenance. micromark is also maintained, but its community may be smaller and updates may be less frequent.