Last Updated on May 22, 2022
Summary
Abricotine is a simple, effective, and genuinely useful utility for anyone who writes documentation in Markdown. The automatic preview is convenient.
The software isn’t particularly lightweight, consuming over 200MB of RAM even with only a small document open. This isn’t that surprising considering the software is based on web technologies (including Electron and Node.js).
The software offers built-in spellchecking but there’s no option to add custom words to the dictionary, or suggest alternative words. And if you like suggested word completions as you type, you’ll be disappointed.
We’d also like the ability to insert a current timestamp into a document, which is very useful when writing reports. But we’re pretty satisfied with what’s on offer.
Website: github.com/brrd/Abricotine
Support:
Developer: Thomas Brouard and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0 or (at your option) any later version
Abricotine is written in JavaScript. Learn JavaScript with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Pages in this article:
Page 1 – Introduction / Installation
Page 2 – In Operation
Page 3 – Other Features
Page 4 – Summary
Complete list of articles in this series:
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The developer of Abricotine has announced that his program is now discontinued, and doesn’t recommend anyone fork the code.
You mention that the app is installed using npm — but how does one launch the app? Is it installed as a regular GNU/Linux app on the system, or…?
Yes, it’s run like any app, from the terminal or in a desktop environment from the menu.
Do we really need to use another markdown editor with electron-based app? I’ve already see 4 electron-based markdown editor article in just two weeks. Seriously folks… why do we need a full-fledged google chome web-browser only to use a markdown editor? Isn’t it better just to install the markdown plugin from Chrome Web Store ?
I really don’t get the electron-based developer mindset. It really beyond my comprehension.
Complaints like jole’s are rarely justified. He might not need *another* Markdown editor, but that’s irrelevant.
Markdown is very popular for documentation, so it’s not surprising there’s many Markdown editors available. In the same way, there’s 900+ Linux distributions. Critics will cite duplication of effort. Of course, there’s some, but again that’s largely irrelevant. Each Markdown editor offers different functionality, uses different toolkits etc. With more choice, there’s more likely something that meets the specific needs of an individual. And Abricotine is a very good editor with great inline preview.
Should anyone be criticized for developing open source software? It’s a great way of learning to code, collaborate with others, learn how to lead a project, etc etc.
Why should we be restricted to using a plugin for Chrome? A big proportion of users don’t even use Chrome / Chromium.
“Complaints like jole’s are rarely justified. He might not need *another* Markdown editor, but that’s irrelevant.”
I complaint about using Electron as a the base of the application. Not about creating another yet Markdown Editor. Please re-read my comment.
“Why should we be restricted to using a plugin for Chrome? A big proportion of users don’t even use Chrome / Chromium.”
You’re already contradict yourself here. Don’t you know that Electron is based on Chrome? So the Abricotine is using Electron internally, and then eventually the user is restricted with Chrome. And didn’t you know that Electron is also using Node.js which is a full framework for web server development? Do we need a Web Browser + Web Server only to use a markdown editor?
Thanks for clarifying your opening ambiguous statement.
I made no contradiction. I’m fully aware Electron uses Chromium and Node.js, save your patronizing diatribe for someone else. I’ve been a developer for 30 years.
The point you failed to grasp is that recommending a Chrome plugin restricts the end user by forcing him/her to use a specific web browser, one that is proprietary (did you know Chrome is mostly based on Chromium, which is open source? — see I can be patronizing too 🙂
And you’re NOT running a web browser / web server with Abricotine.
And Abricotine’s RAM requirements are modest, nothing like the much bigger RAM dollop required by Chrome or Chromium.
Sorry to expose your fallacies.