Slidev
Write presentation slides in Markdown, rendered with Vue and Vite.
- Stars
- 49.3k
- Forks
- 2.3k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 14 days ago
- Type
- Dev tool
What it is
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.
- Write a technical talk in Markdown with syntax-highlighted code blocks
- Create flowcharts or sequence diagrams from text using Mermaid
- Write math equations using LaTeX syntax
- Export a finished deck to PDF, PNG images, or PPTX
- Control slides from a phone using presenter mode
Great for
- 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
Not ideal for
- 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
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js >= 22.12.0
Create a new Slidev project locally
npm init slidev - 2
Run it
- Install Node.js 22.12.0 or newer
- Run npm init slidev in a terminal and follow the prompts
- Open the project folder and start editing the slides.md file
- Open the local preview in your browser to see the slides update as you edit
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Try the online version at sli.dev/new first to test without installing anything
- Use presenter mode to control slides from another window or your phone
- Add Mermaid diagrams and LaTeX math directly in Markdown
- Browse the theme gallery to change the look of your deck
- Use the VS Code extension for editing support
Downloads
Strengths
- 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
Trade-offs
- 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
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| slidev (this) | 49.3k | Dev tool | beginner | 14 days ago | Developers who want to present code, technical talks, or architecture diagrams |
| reveal.js | 72.5k | Library | intermediate | 1 months ago | Developers who already write HTML, CSS, or JavaScript and want full control over slide design |
| marp | 12.7k | Other | beginner | 3 months ago | People who prefer writing slides as Markdown text rather than in a visual editor |
| mdx-deck | 11.5k | Dev tool | intermediate | 3.8 years ago | Developers who already write React and want to present technical material |
| nodeppt | 10.3k | Dev tool | intermediate | 5.8 years ago | Developers who prefer writing slides in Markdown over a visual editor |
| vitepress | 18.5k | Dev tool | intermediate | 7 days ago | Developers who want a documentation site for a software project |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.