Slidev vs VitePress
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Write presentation slides in Markdown, rendered with Vue and Vite.
Open source · MIT
A static site generator built on Vite and Vue for writing documentation sites in Markdown.
The short answer
Choose Slidev if you need…
- Developers who want to present code, technical talks, or architecture diagrams
- People comfortable editing Markdown and who prefer version-controlled slides
- Teams that want slides stored alongside project files in a Git repository
- Anyone who wants to present from a second window or phone using presenter mode
Choose VitePress if you need…
- Developers who want a documentation site for a software project
- Teams that already use Vue or Vite and want a familiar toolchain
- People who prefer writing content in Markdown rather than a CMS
Side-by-side
| Slidev | VitePress | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 49.3k | 18.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 14 days ago | 8 days ago |
What each one is
Slidev
Slidev is an open-source tool for making presentation slides using Markdown files. You write your slides as text, and it renders them in a web browser with code highlighting, math, diagrams, and Vue components. It can export slides to PDF, PNG, or PPTX.
VitePress
VitePress turns Markdown files into a fast, ready-to-publish website, mainly for documentation. It is built on Vite and Vue, and the README describes it as a spiritual successor to VuePress. The README is short and points to the official docs at vitepress.dev for setup and usage details.
Best for
Slidev
- Developers who want to present code, technical talks, or architecture diagrams
- People comfortable editing Markdown and who prefer version-controlled slides
- Teams that want slides stored alongside project files in a Git repository
- Anyone who wants to present from a second window or phone using presenter mode
VitePress
- Developers who want a documentation site for a software project
- Teams that already use Vue or Vite and want a familiar toolchain
- People who prefer writing content in Markdown rather than a CMS
Strengths
Slidev
- Slides are plain Markdown files, so they work well with Git and any text editor
- Built on Vite, so changes reload quickly while editing
- Themes can be shared as npm packages and it supports a large set of icons
VitePress
- Built on Vite and Vue, two widely used tools in the web ecosystem
- Output is static files, so hosting can be simple
- Released under the MIT license and actively maintained, with a recent push to the repository
Not ideal for
Slidev
- People who need a visual drag-and-drop slide editor, since Slidev is text-based (the README mentions an integrated editor, but its depth is not described here)
- Users who cannot install Node.js, since the local setup requires Node.js 22.12.0 or newer
- Those who only need simple slides and do not want to learn Markdown syntax and Vue features
VitePress
- Non-developers who need a point-and-click website builder, since it requires working with code and the command line
- Projects that need a dynamic, database-driven site, because VitePress generates static pages
Trade-offs
Slidev
- Requires a Node.js development environment, which may be a barrier for non-developers
- Visual design customization relies on CSS utilities and Vue knowledge for advanced changes
- The README does not detail the export quality or limitations of each export format
VitePress
- The latest release is an alpha (v2.0.0-alpha.21), so APIs may change before a stable version
- The README is brief, so detailed setup and configuration live on the external docs site
Getting started
VitePress
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/vuejs/vitepress.gitFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Slidev and VitePress?
Slidev: Write presentation slides in Markdown, rendered with Vue and Vite. VitePress: A static site generator built on Vite and Vue for writing documentation sites in Markdown. Slidev suits developers who want to present code, technical talks, or architecture diagrams, while VitePress suits developers who want a documentation site for a software project.
Are Slidev and VitePress free?
Slidev: Free and open source. VitePress: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Slidev or VitePress?
Slidev is easier to get started with (rated beginner); VitePress is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Slidev or VitePress more popular?
Slidev has more GitHub stars (49.3k) than VitePress (18.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Slidev and VitePress?
Other options people compare them with include reveal.js, Marp, mdx-deck, docsify, VuePress.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.