Alternatives to Marp CLI
Convert Markdown slide decks into presentation files. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Marp CLI
Convert Markdown slide decks into presentation files.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Marp CLI.
presenterm
Present Markdown slides directly in your terminal.
presenterm presents Markdown slides directly in the terminal with themes and code highlighting, instead of exporting HTML, PDF or PowerPoint files.
Quarto
Publish technical documents from Markdown and executable code.
Quarto publishes technical documents from Markdown and executable code to several output formats, but executable content needs the matching language runtimes.
Slidev
An open-source presentation tool that builds slide decks from Markdown, aimed at developers.
Slidev is an MIT-licensed tool that builds slide decks from Markdown for developers, with active development, but it requires comfort with developer tooling.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Marp CLI as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Gamma
An AI design tool that generates presentations, documents, websites, social posts and graphics from ideas.
Marp CLI is free and MIT-licensed and converts Markdown slide decks locally into HTML, PDF or PowerPoint, with no AI generation or hosted editor.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Pandoc
Converts documents between almost any two markup formats: Markdown, Word, LaTeX, EPUB, HTML, PDF and dozens more.
LibreOffice
The full free office suite: word processor, spreadsheet, presentations, drawing, database and formula editor.
Typst
A typesetting system as capable as LaTeX but far easier to learn, with fast incremental compilation and readable error messages.
Keynote
Apple's presentation app for building slide decks on Mac, iPad and iPhone, and in a browser.
Microsoft 365
Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook with cloud storage and collaboration.
