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MiaoYan
Features
- Fantastic: Local-first, no data collection, split editor & preview, wikilink backlinks, LaTeX, Mermaid
- Beautiful: Minimalist design, three-column layout, dark mode, macOS 26 glass, distraction-free
- Fast: Swift 6 native, better performance than Electron-based apps
- Simple: Lightweight, version history, keyboard shortcuts, auto-formatting
Installation
-
Mac App Store (paid, automatic updates):
-
Homebrew:
brew install --cask miaoyan -
GitHub Releases: download the latest DMG from GitHub Releases (macOS 11.5+)
All three options share the same codebase and receive the same updates. After installing, create a MiaoYan folder in iCloud Drive or your preferred location, open Preferences (⌘,), and set the storage path.
CLI
MiaoYan provides a command-line interface for quick note operations.
# Install curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tw93/MiaoYan/main/scripts/install.sh | bash # Usage miao open <title|path> # Open note or folder miao new <title> [text] # Create new note miao search <query> # Search notes in terminal miao list [folder] # List top-level folders, or markdown in folder miao cat <title|path> # Print note content miao update # Update CLI
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
- The most direct way to support me is getting Mole for Mac, my paid Mac cleanup app.
- If MiaoYan helped you, share it with friends or give it a star.
- Got ideas or bugs? Open an issue or PR, feel free to contribute your best AI model.
- I have two cats, TangYuan and Coke. If you think MiaoYan delights your life, you can feed them canned food 🥩.
These lovely people already did 🐱
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
License
MIT License - Feel free to use and contribute.