.MD File Extension
Markdown Documentation File
| Developer | John Gruber |
| Popularity |
4.0 | 346 Votes |
| Category | Developer Files |
| Format | Text |
What is an MD file?
An MD file is a text file created using one of several possible dialects of the Markdown language. It is saved in plain text format but includes inline symbols that define how to format the text (e.g. bold, indentations, headers, table formatting). MD files are designed for authoring plain text documentation that can be easily converted to HTML.
MD files are not only useful for HTML documentation systems, but also for source code version control. This is because the files can be compared against historical revisions in human-readable text (whereas revisions to binary files cannot be compared easily). Projects created with GitHub, a popular online version control system, often use a file named README.md, which contains the readme for the project.
John Gruber, the developer of Markdown, has created a Perl program for converting Markdown to HTML. The program, called "Markdown," is available at the Daring Fireball website.
NOTE: Markdown files also use the .MARKDOWN extension.
How do I open an MD file?
You can open and edit an MD file in any text editor, including:
- Microsoft Notepad (Windows)
- Apple TextEdit (Mac)
- Vim (Linux, Mac)
- GitHub Atom (cross-platform)
- Google Chrome Text (Chrome OS)
However, if you intend to edit an MD file, you may want to open it in a Markdown editor. Markdown editors provide editing and review tools that will help you apply Markdown syntax correctly. Some Markdown editors include:
- ghostwriter (Windows, Linux)
- MacDown (Mac)
- Caret (cross-platform)
- StackEdit (Web)
Programs that open MD files
MuseData Musical Score
| Developer | Walter B. Hewlett |
| Popularity |
3.0 | 4 Votes |
| Category | Text Files |
| Format | Text |
What is an MD file?
An MD file is a MuseData musical score. It contains plain text code that represents a piece of music, as well as metadata describing that work. While MD files are no longer widely used, you can still open them and use them to create sheet music in MuseScore.
In 1983, developer Walter B. Hewlett created the MuseData music notation file format. According to Hewlett, the purpose of MuseData (MD) files was "to represent the logical content of musical scores in a software-neutral fashion." To do this, Hewlett developed a format that used plain text notation to represent the measures, notes, rests, and emphases included in a piece of music. MD files also include a plain text header that contains general information about the file, such as when the file was created, what musical score, movement, or part it represents, and what instruments should be used to play the piece.
As digital music notation developed further, MD files largely became obsolete. However, many MD files are still available online, and you can still open MD files and use them to create sheet music in MuseScore, a free music composition and notation program.
How do I open an MD file?
You can open an MD file in MuseScore. To do so, select from the program's menu bar, and then locate and open your MD file. Note that you may receive an error message saying your MD file is corrupted. If you do, click . The MD file will appear in MuseScore as a musical score.
If you need only to see the plain text notation that an MD file contains, you can open it in any text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad, Apple TextEdit, or Github Atom.