We just benchmarked @m2d/react-markdown against the popular react-markdown — and the results are in:
✅ Competitive speed,
✅ Cleaner architecture,
✅ Purpose-built for MDAST-first workflows like mdast2docx
Why Another Markdown Renderer?
Most renderers are great at one thing: rendering. But if you’re working on docx/pdf export, hybrid output (MDX/HTML/JSX), or unified pipelines, you need something:
- Fast
- Extensible
- MDAST-respecting
- SSR/Streaming/Edge-ready
That's exactly what @m2d/react-markdown is for.
Real Benchmarks — No Hype
We ran thorough benchmarks with various markdown types: simple notes, complex nested GFM, large tutorials, and even full-site markdown dumps.
Key Takeaways:
@m2d/react-markdown outperformed or matched react-markdown in several medium/complex files- Bulk rendering (all files in one go) saw better JSX tree handling
- Slightly slower in very short/simple cases (which don't matter much in real apps)
Check out the full results here:
benchmark.md
Includes tables, deltas, and even visual charts!
If you're building tools like:
mdast2docx (Markdown → Word)- Hybrid export systems (PDF/HTML from a single source)
- Local-first writing tools with output control
Then @m2d/react-markdown is your new best friend.
It retains the full MDAST, supports plugin injection, and gives you full control over rendering + export paths.
Join the Discussion – Shape the Future
We’re actively planning support for:
- Inline JSX support in markdown
- Better handling of reusable ASTs
- Declarative hydration markers for SSR/Edge use
Engage, vote, or suggest improvements here:
https://github.com/md2docx/react-markdown/discussions/3
Build Your Own Library Like This
This library was scaffolded using react18-tools/turborepo-template — a production-grade template for building and publishing modern React libraries.
If you want to:
- Build & test across Next.js/Vite
- Auto-generate docs & examples
- Publish fast and right
Use this template to create your own library in minutes.
Call for Contributors
If you:
- Love performance and clean architecture
- Use React with Markdown in any serious way
- Care about maintainable DX and OSS karma
…then jump in!
Star, fork, or file issues here → https://github.com/md2docx/react-markdown
Or explore mdast2docx to see how this library integrates into real export workflows.
♂️ Built with Care
This isn’t just a library — it’s a piece in a larger mission to simplify dev workflows and bridge content with output in meaningful ways.
