What Is ghostwriter (ghostwriter.kde.org)?

ghostwriter is a free, open-source, distraction-free Markdown writing application for Windows, Linux, and Mac. It suits writers who want a clean interface, a Markdown workflow, and built-in tools such as live preview, focus mode, themes, and export options. If you prefer a simple editor that stays out of the way while you draft in Markdown, it is worth considering; if you need a full word processor with page layout and track changes, it is not that kind of tool.

What ghostwriter is designed for

The project describes itself with the line "No excuses. No distractions. Just write." Its core purpose is drafting in Markdown: you write now and format later. The interface is meant to be clean, with a full-screen mode available.

It has been distributed since 2015 and is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0.

Key features

Distraction-free writing

ghostwriter offers a distraction-free writing experience, including a full-screen mode and a clean interface. With Markdown, you can write first and handle formatting afterward.

Live preview

You can preview your Markdown document in HTML. The live preview lets you copy the HTML to paste into your blog or export to another format. It is optimized for large documents, so the application is designed not to freeze as you type.

Navigation

The sidebar provides an outline of the document, letting you jump to any section—including within the live preview—with a single mouse click. For a quick keyboard jump, press Ctrl + J, select the section name with the arrow keys, and press ENTER.

Focus mode

Clicking the "Focus" button in the lower right corner of the editor enables Focus Mode, which highlights only the current text around the cursor while fading the rest. You can configure it to highlight the current line, sentence, paragraph, or three lines.

Hemingway mode

Clicking the "Hemingway" button in the lower right corner disables your backspace and delete keys, creating a typewriter experience so you avoid editing while you write.

Themes

Built-in light and dark themes provide an aesthetic writing experience out of the box. If those are not enough, you can create your own.

Document and session statistics

A live word count appears at the bottom of the window, and the Document Statistics and Session Statistics sidebar tabs show more live statistics.

Export and formatting support

ghostwriter supports export to multiple formats and lists Pandoc, MultiMarkdown, and commonmark. It also supports MathJax via Pandoc for equations.

Other conveniences

• Drag and drop images from your file system into the editor to create image URLs within your Markdown document.
• Autosave and file backup options help you avoid losing work.
• A built-in cheat sheet is available: press F1 to bring it up in the sidebar if you forget Markdown syntax.

Platform and licensing summary

Who it fits

ghostwriter fits writers who want a focused Markdown drafting environment with live preview, outline navigation, focus tools, and export options. It does not fit users who need a traditional word processor with rich page layout, or those who do not want to work in Markdown.

You can download it for Windows, Linux, or Mac, or check the other platforms listed on the site.