Ekphos:Terminal Markdown Editor

In 2025, the terminal Markdown editor landscape is booming for devs and writers seeking speed. Ekphos, a Rust-built open-source tool inspired by Obsidian, delivers a three-panel terminal interface: sidebar for files, live Markdown preview, and outline navigation. Lightweight (under 10MB) and MIT-licensed, it’s perfect for distraction-free editing.

Standout Features

• Live Rendering: Syntax highlighting for 20+ languages, interactive links, and image previews (Sixel terminals like Kitty).
• Vim Keybindings: Normal/insert modes, undo/redo, fuzzy search.
• Customization: Themes (e.g., Catppuccin), mouse support, configurable via ~/.config/ekphos/config.toml.

Outshines Glow or mdcat with Obsidian-like depth, minus GUI bloat.

Deep Dive: Core Features of Ekphos as a Terminal Markdown Editor

Ekphos shines through its thoughtful design, prioritizing interactivity and performance. Built on Rust for blazing startup times and low memory footprint (under 10MB), it leverages libraries like Syntect for highlighting and terminal protocols for visuals. Here’s what powers its appeal:

Three-Panel Interface for Seamless Workflow

• Collapsible Sidebar (Left): A dynamic folder tree showing your notes and subfolders. Auto-expands during searches, making it easy to drill into hierarchical content.
• Content Panel (Center): Real-time Markdown rendering with rich elements—color-coded headings, task lists, tables, and embedded HTML for collapsible <details> sections. Links are clickable (or Space-activated), opening in your default browser or viewer.
• Outline Panel (Right): Auto-generates a table of contents from headings, enabling quick jumps in long documents. Toggle it with Ctrl+O for on-demand navigation.

This layout mimics Obsidian’s vault system but adapts it to the terminal, turning static notes into an interconnected web.

Quick Setup

Via Cargo (Rust required):

cargo install ekphos

Build from GitHub: git clone ... && make && sudo make install.

Launch: ekphos. Set notes_dir in config. Pro tip: For AI-enhanced Markdown, explore the Pico Banana 400K Apple Dataset for Text.

Workflow Snapshot

• n: New note.
• e: Edit mode (i insert, Esc normal, Ctrl+S save).
• Tab: Switch panels; / search.

Example:

# Quick Test
**Bold** code: ```rust fn hi() { println!("Ekphos!"); } ```

Why Choose Ekphos?

Faster, more portable than Typora. Ideal for SSH/remote work. Star it on GitHub and boost your notes.