Is Markdown Guide Free and Open-Source, and How Is It Licensed?

Updated

Yes. Markdown Guide (markdownguide.org) describes itself as "a free and open-source reference guide that explains how to use Markdown," and its content is published under a Creative Commons license. The site footer states the content is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, and credits the project to Matt Cone.

What "free and open-source" means here

The site's own description uses both terms directly: it is a free and open-source reference guide. In practice, that means:

  • Free to access — the guide is published openly on the web with no paywall described in the site's own materials.
  • Open-source — the project is associated with a public GitHub repository, and the footer includes a GitHub link alongside Contact, API, Privacy Policy, and Terms and Conditions links.

Note that the site's pricing signals contain no pricing keywords, payment links, or payment platforms, so nothing in the available material indicates a paid tier. At the same time, the source does not explicitly state "no login required" or "no cost for all features" — treat "free" as the site's self-description rather than an audited guarantee.

The license: CC BY-SA 4.0

The footer of markdownguide.org states the content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0). That license has two practical conditions for anyone reusing the material:

Condition What it requires
BY (Attribution) You must credit the original source — here, Markdown Guide / Matt Cone.
SA (ShareAlike) If you adapt or build on the content, you must distribute your version under the same or a compatible license.

CC BY-SA 4.0 is a standard, widely used open license, which is consistent with the site calling itself open-source. It is not a public-domain dedication — attribution and share-alike obligations still apply.

Who runs it and where to verify details

  • Author/project: Matt Cone ("A Matt Cone project" appears in the footer).
  • Verification links in the footer: Contact, GitHub, API, Privacy Policy, and Terms and Conditions.

For licensing edge cases — commercial reuse, bulk redistribution, or whether the code behind the site carries a separate license from the prose — check the GitHub repository and the linked Terms and Conditions, since the footer's CC BY-SA 4.0 notice covers the content and the repository may state its own terms.

Quick answer

Markdown Guide is free and open-source by its own description, its content is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (attribution + share-alike), and it is a Matt Cone project. If you plan to republish or adapt it, credit the source and keep the same license; confirm specifics via the GitHub and Terms links in the site footer.