Markdown workflow

How to Read a Whole Folder of Markdown Files
rendered, locally, with nothing to install

You have a whole folder of .md files: an unzipped repo’s docs, a pile of exported notes, an archive of clippings. You want to browse and read them, rendered, with tables and images showing, not stare at raw source one file at a time. Here is how to open the whole folder in the browser, with a file tree, nothing installed and nothing uploaded.

Open your whole folder of .md files in the browser, tree and all. No install →

Why a folder of Markdown is awkward to read

The usual options each have a catch. A plain editor opens one file at a time and shows the raw source. GitHub renders it nicely, but only after the repo is pushed. A static-site generator like MkDocs renders a whole folder, but it needs setup and a build step. Sometimes you just want to point at a folder on your disk and read it.

Open the folder in the browser

NoteLoom opens a local folder right in the browser and gives you a file tree plus a rendered view of whatever you click.

  1. Open app.noteloom.cc in Chrome / Edge / Arc. Nothing to install.
  2. Mount the folder of .md files (unzip it first if it is a downloaded .zip).
  3. Use the sidebar file tree to browse, and open any file in the reading view to read it rendered.
What you want In NoteLoom
Browse the collection A sidebar file tree of the .md files in the folder
Read a file Rendered in the reading view: GFM tables, task lists, footnotes
Images Local images render by their relative path, because the folder is mounted
Edit if you want source / live / reading views, saved back to the same file

The images are the nice part: because you mounted the folder, a note that links a local image by a relative path renders the picture, instead of a broken icon. It is all local, nothing uploaded, and it works offline.

The honest limits

  • It opens folders, not .zip files. Unzip a repo download or an export first, then mount the folder.
  • It is a reader and editor, not a docs website. It does not build navigation from your headings or a site-wide search index; it shows a file tree and renders the file you open. No build step, but not an auto docs site.
  • It shows .md and .markdown, and skips dot-folders like .git, so a repo folder stays readable.
  • Chromium desktop,. Chrome / Edge / Arc only; Firefox, Safari, and mobile are not supported yet, and it does not summarize or change your files.

Good for

  • An unzipped code repo’s docs folder and its README.
  • Notes you exported from Notion or another app.
  • An archive of Markdown clippings or research you keep as plain files.
  • Reading a collection through before you edit any of it.

Related reading

Online Markdown Editor The same NoteLoom from the editing angle, for changing the files, not just reading. How to open a Notion Markdown export A specific folder of exported .md, opened with its images. How do you open a .md file? Just one file? Start here. Why is my Markdown image not showing? Relative-path local images, and why mounting the folder renders them.

FAQ

How do I view a whole folder of Markdown files at once?
Mount the folder in a browser tool like NoteLoom. It shows a file tree of the .md files and renders whichever one you open, so you can browse and read the whole collection instead of opening files one by one in a plain editor.
Can I read them rendered, with the images showing?
Yes. Because you mount the folder, not a single file, NoteLoom renders local images by their relative path, so the pictures in the notes show up, along with GFM tables, task lists, and other formatting.
Do I need to install anything or upload the folder?
No. It opens in Chrome, Edge, or Arc, reads the folder locally, and nothing is uploaded. It also works offline as a progressive web app, so the whole collection stays on your machine.
Is this like a docs website such as MkDocs or Docsify?
No. It does not generate a website with navigation built from your headings or a site-wide search index. It is a browser reader and editor: it shows a file tree and renders the .md you click. Simpler, with no build step, but not an auto-generated docs site.
Can I open a code repository’s docs folder?
Yes, once it is a folder on disk. Unzip a downloaded repo first, since it opens folders and not .zip files, then mount it. It shows the .md files like the README and docs, and skips things like the .git folder.
Which browser does it need?
A Chromium-based desktop browser: Chrome, Edge, or Arc. It uses the File System Access API, which Firefox, Safari, and mobile browsers do not support yet.

Read your whole folder of Markdown, rendered

Open NoteLoom in Chrome / Edge / Arc, mount a folder of .md files, and browse the file tree while each note renders with its tables and local images. Nothing to install, nothing uploaded, and no account.

Open NoteLoom and try it