markdown-it
Markdown-it - modern pluggable markdown parser.
22.9M weekly downloads · 39.6 KB gzip · Health 85/100
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Comparison guide
Markdown-it vs Marked
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Marked
13.3 KB gzipped
Most Popular
Marked
83.8M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Markdown-it
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Markdown-it
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Marked
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
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Choosing between Markdown-it and Marked? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.
Downloads & Popularity
Marked leads with 83.8M weekly downloads — roughly 3.7x more. Markdown-it has 22.9M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Marked has the smallest gzipped bundle at 13.3 KB. Markdown-it comes in at 39.6 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Markdown-it has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Marked has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Markdown-it if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Marked if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Markdown-it and Marked are solid choices for JavaScript development. Markdown-it has the edge in overall health score (85/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is markdown-it better than marked?
- It depends on your needs. Markdown-it has a health score of 85/100 while Marked scores 85/100. Marked has more recorded weekly downloads (83.8M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, markdown-it or marked?
- Marked has the smaller gzipped bundle at 13.3 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use markdown-it vs marked?
- Marked has more recorded weekly downloads (83.8M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
- Which is better maintained, markdown-it or marked?
- Markdown-it has a maintenance score of 100/100. Markdown-it scores 100/100 and Marked scores 100/100 on maintenance.
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