MarkView
Native macOS markdown preview MCP server — Claude writes markdown, MarkView renders it live in a real native window.
Add to your client
Copy the config for your MCP client and paste it into its config file.
claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user markview -- npx mcp-server-markviewPaste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"markview": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-server-markview"
]
}
}
}Step-by-step guides: Add to Claude Desktop · Add to Cursor · Add to Windsurf
Before you start
- macOS 14+
- Node.js / npx (to run the mcp-server-markview wrapper)
- The MarkView app installed (via Homebrew cask, build from source, or the bundled app installer)
About MarkView
MarkView is a native macOS markdown preview tool with an MCP server that lets Claude render markdown live in a real native window while it works. Wire it into Claude Code with a single claude mcp add command (or add the mcpServers block to Claude Desktop), and Claude can call preview_markdown to render arbitrary markdown content or open_file to open an existing .md file. Built in Swift/SwiftUI with no Electron, it supports GitHub Flavored Markdown, Mermaid diagrams, syntax highlighting, live-reloading, and HTML/PDF export.
Tools & capabilities (2)
preview_markdownRender markdown content in a live-reloading MarkView window.
open_fileOpen an existing .md file in MarkView.
When to use it
- Letting Claude Code render the markdown it writes in a live native macOS preview window as you work
- Previewing GitHub Flavored Markdown with Mermaid diagrams and syntax highlighting without an Electron app
- Opening and reviewing existing .md files in a native split-pane editor + preview directly from Claude
- Exporting AI-generated markdown documentation to HTML or PDF
Security notes
macOS-only (requires macOS 14+). The MCP server is an npm wrapper that drives the native MarkView app; the app includes an HTML sanitizer that strips scripts, event handlers, and XSS vectors from rendered markdown. No authentication or network access required.
MarkView FAQ
Does MarkView work on Windows or Linux?
No. MarkView is a native macOS app (Swift/SwiftUI) and requires macOS 14 or later.
What tools does the MCP server expose?
Two tools: preview_markdown (render a markdown string in a live MarkView window) and open_file (open an existing .md file in MarkView).
How do I add it to Claude Desktop instead of Claude Code?
Add an mcpServers entry to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json with command "npx" and args ["mcp-server-markview"].
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