Markdown Publishing, Simplified
Write in any Markdown editor you love, like iA Writer, Obsidian, VS Code, or a plain text file. Then publish to your blog with a click. No conversion steps, no formatting disasters, no friction between writing and publishing.
The problem with publishing Markdown
Most writers who use Markdown have a workflow they like. Maybe you draft in iA Writer because the typography helps you think. Maybe you keep a vault of notes in Obsidian and want to turn some of them into blog posts. Maybe you write in VS Code because you live there anyway.
The trouble starts when you try to publish. Traditional blogging platforms force you into their own editor. You copy your Markdown, paste it in, and watch the formatting break. Headings lose their hierarchy. Code blocks collapse. Links get mangled. You spend twenty minutes fixing layout issues that should not exist.
Some platforms offer a “Markdown mode” as an afterthought: a raw text box with no preview, bolted onto a visual editor that was clearly the priority. Others require a complicated technical setup just to publish a single post. Neither approach respects your time.
How it works on Textual
Textual is built around Markdown from the ground up. There are two ways to get your content in, and both work without friction.
Import your existing files
If you have a .md file on your machine, you can paste its contents directly into the Textual editor. The editor parses your Markdown instantly: headings, lists, code blocks, links, images, and frontmatter all come through cleanly. There is no intermediate conversion step and no formatting to fix after the fact.
Write directly in the editor
Textual's built-in editor is a rich text environment that feels like writing in a document. It supports live Markdown shortcuts: type ## followed by a space and you get an H2. Wrap text in **double asterisks** and it turns bold immediately. Start a line with - and you are in a bullet list. There is also a formatting toolbar if you prefer clicking.
The editor includes a zen mode, a fullscreen, distraction-free writing environment with nothing on screen except your text and a blinking cursor. It is the closest thing to writing in a plain text file while still having rich formatting.
Autosave runs continuously in the background. Your drafts are never lost, even if you close the tab or lose your connection.
Ready to publish?
Key benefits
Keep your writing tool
Textual does not replace your editor. It connects to it. Write in whatever app produces your best work, then bring it to Textual to publish.
Publish in seconds
Paste your Markdown, set a title, and hit publish. Your post is live on your globally-distributed CDN within seconds.
No formatting cleanup
The parser handles standard Markdown syntax faithfully. What you wrote is what gets published. No manual fixes required.
Scheduled publishing
On the Pro plan, write now and set it to go live at a specific date and time. Useful for editorial calendars.
Your domain, your content
Every plan, including free, comes with a custom domain and automatic SSL. Your blog lives at your address, not ours.
Who it's for
Textual is for anyone who wants the shortest path from draft to published post.
Writers who want to just write
You have ideas to share and don't want to spend hours learning a platform. Write, publish, done.
Note-takers going public
You have a folder of notes in Obsidian, Bear, or Notion and want to turn selected ones into published posts.
Anyone tired of complex platforms
You've tried WordPress, Ghost, or Medium and want something simpler that gets out of the way.
Professionals sharing expertise
Consultants, educators, and experts who need a clean, credible blog without the overhead of a full CMS.
Frequently asked questions
What Markdown syntax does Textual support?+
Textual supports standard Markdown syntax including headings, bold, italic, links, images, blockquotes, ordered and unordered lists, code blocks with syntax highlighting, inline code, horizontal rules, and tables. If it looks right in your editor, it will look right on Textual.
Can I write directly in Textual instead of importing?+
Yes. The built-in WYSIWYG editor supports live Markdown shortcuts and a formatting toolbar. Many writers use Textual's editor as their primary writing tool, especially with zen mode enabled for distraction-free drafting.
Do I need to know Markdown to use Textual?+
No. The WYSIWYG editor works like any rich text editor. You can use the formatting toolbar to bold text, add headings, insert links, and more. Markdown shortcuts are available if you want them, but they are not required.
What happens to images in my Markdown files?+
If your Markdown references images by URL, those links are preserved as-is in your published post. Textual is text-first by design. We handle your words, and you host images wherever works best for you.
Can I export my content back to Markdown?+
Yes. You always own your content and can export it at any time. Textual is designed so you are never locked in. The same Markdown-first approach that makes importing easy also makes leaving easy. Read more about our commitment to content ownership on the permanent publishing page.
Start writing today.
Your first post can be live in minutes. Free forever, or upgrade when you need more.