Software Alternatives & Startups

Dillinger VS Zed

Compare Dillinger VS Zed and see what are their differences

Dillinger logo Dillinger

joemccann has 95 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.

Zed logo Zed

Zed is a high-performance, multiplayer code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter.
  • Dillinger Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-09
  • Zed Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-06-20

Dillinger features and specs

  • Real-time Markdown Rendering
    Dillinger provides live rendering of Markdown text, allowing users to see a side-by-side preview of their formatted text.
  • Cloud Integration
    It offers integration with cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and GitHub, making it easy to save and manage documents.
  • User-friendly Interface
    The platform boasts an intuitive and clean interface, which makes it easy for both beginners and experienced users to navigate and use effectively.
  • Export Options
    Dillinger supports exporting documents in multiple formats, including Markdown, HTML, and PDF, providing flexibility in how users can use their content.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source platform, Dillinger allows developers to contribute to the project or customize the tool for their specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of Dillinger

  • Limited Offline Support
    Dillinger is primarily a web-based application and requires an internet connection for full functionality, limiting its usability offline.
  • Basic Markdown Features
    While it covers the basics well, advanced Markdown features or plugins might be missing compared to more comprehensive editors.
  • Dependency on External Services
    Heavy reliance on third-party cloud services may be a drawback for users who prefer to keep their data localized or have privacy concerns.
  • No Native Desktop Application
    Dillinger does not offer a native desktop application, which might be a disadvantage for users who prefer or require desktop-based tools.
  • Limited Customization
    While the interface is user-friendly, it offers limited customization options in terms of themes and editor settings compared to some other Markdown editors.

Zed features and specs

  • Collaborative Editing
    Zed offers real-time collaborative editing features, allowing multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously, enhancing team productivity and communication.
  • Minimalist Interface
    The interface is designed to be distraction-free and minimalist, which helps developers focus on coding without unnecessary clutter and distractions.
  • Speed and Performance
    Zed is built with performance in mind, offering fast loading times and a smooth user experience, making coding more efficient.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Zed is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide array of users regardless of their operating system.
  • Innovative Features
    Zed includes several innovative features such as advanced search and navigation capabilities, which can significantly enhance the coding experience.

Possible disadvantages of Zed

  • Limited Extensions
    Compared to more established editors like VS Code, Zed currently has a more limited library of extensions and plugins, which might restrict customization and functionality.
  • Learning Curve
    New users coming from other development environments may face a learning curve due to Zed's unique interface and features.
  • Early Development
    As a relatively new tool, Zed may still be in its early stages of development, with potential bugs and missing features that could affect stability and user experience.
  • Community Size
    The community and user base for Zed is still growing, which can mean less community support, tutorials, and shared resources compared to more mature editors.

Analysis of Dillinger

Overall verdict

  • Dillinger is considered a good Markdown editor, especially for users who need a straightforward tool with cloud integration capabilities. Its user-friendly design and ability to handle Markdown documents effectively make it a reliable choice.

Why this product is good

  • Dillinger is a cloud-enabled, mobile-ready, offline-storage compatible, Markdown editor. It is known for its simplicity, ease of use, and ability to integrate with cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and GitHub. Users appreciate its clean interface and the ability to preview Markdown files in real-time. It also supports exporting documents in formats like HTML and PDF.

Recommended for

    Dillinger is recommended for developers, writers, and anyone who frequently works with Markdown documentation. It's particularly useful for those who need access to their documents across different devices or want to store them in the cloud.

Analysis of Zed

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Zed is considered a good code editor by many developers.

Why this product is good

  • Zed offers a modern and efficient code editing experience with features such as real-time collaboration, a clean interface, and high performance. It is built to be fast and responsive, making it suitable for developers who value speed in their editing tools.

Recommended for

    Developers looking for a collaborative and fast code editor with a modern interface would benefit from using Zed. It is especially suited for teams that require real-time collaboration capabilities.

Dillinger videos

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation ALBUM REVIEW

More videos:

  • Review - The Dillinger Escape Plan - One Of Us Is The Killer ALBUM REVIEW
  • Review - DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Dissociation Album Review | Overkill Reviews

Zed videos

Zed “kills” VSCode

More videos:

  • Review - Zed - The 'Visual Studio Code Killer' - Now on Linux!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Dillinger and Zed)
Markdown Editor
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Text Editors
52 52%
48% 48
Markdown Viewer
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Dillinger and Zed. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Zed should be more popular than Dillinger. It has been mentiond 95 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Dillinger mentions (27)

  • 5 Killer FREE Markdown Editors You Need in 2025
    Dillinger (Online - https://dillinger.io/): For a straightforward online experience, Dillinger is a solid choice. It offers split-screen viewing with live preview and supports saving to various platforms. It's a no-frills option that gets the job done efficiently. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Markdown Syntax & Features: A Comprehensive 2025 Guide
    Dillinger - A cloud-enabled, mobile-ready, offline-storage, AngularJS-powered, HTML5 Markdown editor. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • 100+ Must-Have Web Development Resources
    Dillinger: An online editor that offers cloud storage and supports various export formats like HTML5 and PDF. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Converting Markdown to PDF
    Simply access https://dillinger.io and paste your markdown code there. It has the option to export to PDF, as well as some other formats. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Building a simple but scalable blog using Astro
    I have used Markdown before (https://dillinger.io/) so wouldn't have a problem with using it again as long as on page SEO isn't any extra effort. I am not sure how I would use Markdown and then add the content to the blog to be deployed and if that is going to be much harder than a headless CMS, I would go for the headless. Source: almost 3 years ago
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Zed mentions (95)

  • Our decision on Cursor following its acquisition by SpaceX
    > We are making this choice because we cannot be confident that SpaceX will use our technology within our terms of service, based on our experience with Elon Musk's companies violating contracts. I'm surprised how clear they are about this. Related: Can highly recommend Zed as an alternative, it's better than VSCode with the Codex extension as managing multiple chats is much nicer in Zed. Zed: https://zed.dev/. - Source: Hacker News / 10 days ago
  • GLM-5.3: Frontier Coding with Emergent Cyber Capabilities
    I am not talking about GLM models being served through an Anthropic compatible API. I am talking about ZCode, the harness, being unable to delegate to other harnesses, like using Claude Code (or even OpenCode) within their UI, so that an Anthropic subscription can be used, because they don't let you use 3rd party harnesses directly. It's basically what Paseo: https://paseo.sh/ and Kepler... - Source: Hacker News / 25 days ago
  • Elevated error rate across multiple models
    With Agent Client Protocol (ACP) you can keep the same UI and switch not models, but entire agents, that means using tools/prompts/compaction/etc that are tailored for the model. Try Zed[1] for GUI and pool[2] for TUI. [1] https://zed.dev/ [2] https://github.com/poolsideai/pool. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Ask HN: What is your (AI) dev tech stack / workflow? (June 2026)
    Devcontainers + Claude + Pi [1] Zed https://zed.dev/ [2] Terminal threads https://zed.dev/blog/terminal-threads As sort of byproduct also replaced Alacritty + Zellij (i just don't have the need to use more, 3 weeks of new setup). - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Ask HN: What is your (AI) dev tech stack / workflow? (June 2026)
    The simplest mainstream options for tools: 1) Claude Desktop which includes Claude Code for Anthropic: https://claude.com/product/claude-code (alternatively the terminal based version; either way get the subscription) 2) Codex for OpenAI: https://developers.openai.com/codex/app (same as above, subscription preferred instead of paying per token) 3) OpenCode for a variety of models: https://opencode.ai/ (they also... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Dillinger and Zed, you can also consider the following products

Typora - A minimal Markdown reading & writing app.

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

StackEdit - Full-featured, open-source Markdown editor based on PageDown, the Markdown library used by Stack Overflow and the other Stack Exchange sites.

Cursor - The AI-first Code Editor. Build software faster in an editor designed for pair-programming with AI.

Markdown by DaringFireball - Text-to-HTML conversion tool/syntax for web writers, by John Gruber

Notepad++ - A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.