You do not need a special application to create a Markdown or JSON file. They are plain-text files. You can open them in a basic editor, hand them to Codex or Claude, save them in GitHub, and keep building.

But the right tool makes the work easier. A good Markdown editor helps you think and write. A good code editor helps you inspect project folders, JSON, and the files an AI agent is changing. The goal is not to install everything. Pick one writing tool and one project tool, then use them until they feel normal.

The simple recommendation

For most ByeBuy readers, start here:

If you want the closest free alternative to Typora, start with MarkText. If you already love Typora, keep using it. Both are good places to write a spec, research brief, skill, article, or project-memory file. Then open the same folder in VS Code when you need to work with JSON, code, Git, a terminal, or Codex.

MarkText, Typora, or Obsidian: write and thinkMarkdown filesVS Code: inspect project and JSONCodex or Claude: read, build, update

Markdown tools

MarkText — the free Markdown tool to start with

MarkText is our first free Markdown recommendation. It is a simple, live-preview editor: you write normally, and the document looks formatted as you work. It runs on macOS and Windows, is open-source, and is built for people who want the clean Typora-style writing experience without a license fee. MarkText on GitHub

Use MarkText for the same work you would use Typora for:

• project README.md and CONTEXT.md files
• research and planning briefs
• SKILL.md instructions for Codex or Claude
• article drafts and lesson notes
• handoff documents

MarkText and Typora are Markdown tools. They make a .md file pleasant to read and write. VS Code is still the project tool: use it when you need to move among folders, inspect JSON, review Git changes, run a terminal, or work directly with an AI coding agent.

Typora — the best writing-first choice

Typora is the recommendation for people who want Markdown to feel like normal writing. It formats the document as you type instead of making you stare at markup all day. It is available for Mac and Windows, includes a 15-day trial, and costs $14.99 as a one-time license for one person on up to three devices. Typora pricing and downloads

Use Typora for:

• README.md and CONTEXT.md
• research briefs
• product specifications
• SKILL.md files
• article drafts
• handoff documents

Typora is not a replacement for a code editor. It is the place to write the thinking clearly before an agent builds from it.

Obsidian — the best local knowledge base

Obsidian works with ordinary Markdown files stored locally on your computer. It is free to use, with optional paid Sync and Publish services. Its strength is connecting many notes: ideas, research, decisions, people, sources, and project context can all live in one searchable folder called a vault. Obsidian pricing

Use Obsidian when you want a long-lived personal or company knowledge base. Do not confuse the vault with a product repository. Your code project should still keep its own README.md, specification, agent rules, and handoffs beside the code.

Zettlr — the best free writing-first alternative

Zettlr is free and open-source, with native downloads for macOS and Windows. It is a strong choice if you want a more document-oriented Markdown environment without paying for Typora. Zettlr downloads

Use Zettlr for longer research, essays, lesson drafts, and structured writing. It is especially good for readers who want a serious editor but do not need a full coding environment.

GitHub — the useful no-install option

GitHub is not primarily a writing application, but it is a practical free place to keep Markdown files in a project repository. It renders .md files clearly in the browser, lets you edit them with a pencil button, and records each saved change as history.

If you are brand new, this is enough to begin:

1. Create a repository for the project. 2. Add README.md. 3. Write your project purpose and next action. 4. Commit the change. 5. Ask Codex or Claude to read that file before planning work.

Later, Git and GitHub become the project’s time machine. We cover that properly in Project Control.

The one tool every builder should learn: VS Code

Visual Studio Code is free and runs on macOS and Windows. It is the best default project tool because it can open an entire folder, display Markdown, validate and format JSON, show Git changes, run a terminal, and work alongside coding agents.

You do not have to “be a programmer” to use it. The first skills are simple:

1. Open the project folder, not one isolated file. 2. Use the left sidebar to see the file tree. 3. Click a Markdown file to read or edit it. 4. Use Markdown Preview when you want to see the formatted document. 5. Open a JSON file and let the editor highlight missing commas, brackets, or quotation marks. 6. Use the Source Control panel to inspect what Codex changed before you keep it.

This last habit matters. When an AI edits a project, VS Code gives you a place to see the exact diff instead of trusting a summary.

JSON tools

JSON is structured data, so its editor should help you see structure and catch syntax errors. VS Code is the best main answer. It understands JSON out of the box and is where most builders will already be working.

Do not use a rich-text editor such as Word or Pages for JSON. They can change quotation marks or formatting in ways that break the file. Use a plain-text or code editor.

Mac setup paths

Easiest Mac setup

• MarkText for free Markdown writing, or Typora if you prefer it.
• VS Code for project folders, JSON, code, and Codex.
• Obsidian only if you want a separate personal knowledge base.

If you use Homebrew, Codex or Claude can install common tools through the terminal after showing you the command and getting permission. If you do not use Homebrew, download the app from its official site and drag it into Applications. Both paths are normal.

Try this request with Codex or Claude:

Mac alternatives

• Prefer free and Typora-like? Use MarkText. Prefer free and research-first? Use Zettlr.
• Prefer notes and links? Add Obsidian.
• Prefer no install? Keep files in GitHub and edit in the browser until you are ready for VS Code.

Windows setup paths

Easiest Windows setup

• MarkText for free Markdown writing, or Typora if you prefer it.
• VS Code for project folders, JSON, code, Git, and coding agents.
• Notepad++ only if you want a tiny fast editor for quick file edits.

Windows includes winget, its standard package manager, on many current installations. Codex or Claude can check whether it is available and show you the correct command. You can also use each product’s normal installer.

Try this request:

Windows alternatives

• Prefer free and simple? Use MarkText for Markdown and VS Code for everything else.
• Prefer free and research-first? Use Zettlr for Markdown and VS Code for everything else.
• Want a local knowledge system? Add Obsidian.
• Want the fewest applications? Use VS Code alone; it handles Markdown and JSON perfectly well.

Let Codex or Claude help without giving up control

An AI coding agent can install or configure tools, but make it work like a careful assistant:

1. Tell it your operating system and what you want to do. 2. Ask it to inspect what is already installed. 3. Ask it to explain the recommended tool and command. 4. Approve the installation only after you understand it. 5. Ask it to verify the app opens and that your Markdown or JSON file works.

That is the same system-director mindset you are learning throughout this course. The agent can do the repetitive setup. You decide what belongs on your machine.

Your practical starter kit

Pick one of these and stop researching tools for now:

The tool is not the system. The files are. Choose a place where you will actually write and maintain your Markdown, then give your AI a clean project folder it can read.

Check your understanding

1. Which tool would you choose for a long Markdown research brief? Why? 2. Which tool would you choose to inspect a broken JSON configuration file? 3. Why should you avoid Word or Pages for JSON? 4. What should you ask Codex or Claude to do before installing software? 5. What is the minimum tool setup you need to begin?