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grip: A github-like markdown viewer in your computer

Introduction

grip is a cli tool that you run in a directory from the terminal. He can parse you mardown files like github do.

But How that works and how to use it ?

He access (endpoint based) all files from the repo and parse markdown files after sending them to github unless you use the offline renderer.

Alternatives

Prereqsites

  • python: you can install the latest version

Installation

Install it with pip install grip

As simple as that !

Usage

cd path/to/project
  • run readme.md as web app
grip
  • or run another file
grip my-file-name.md

Exports

export to pdf or html

You can export you file to pdf or html. To use this feature, add --export option followed by the filename (with html or pdf extension)

troubleshots

  • he can export with grip my-file-name.md --export inut.pdf but there is a bug
  • so i installed with sudo apt install grip but it takes forever
  • anyway, the web view is cool. And if i neeeed pdf, from this discussion, i can use:
  • windows: the extension markdown preview enhanced works there fine
  • mardown-pdf from npm
  • print the page from the webview and select non-empty pages. The pb is the ref links: the ref inside text to biblio will try to lead the grip webview that will not be open if not run on cli

rate limiting

grip have a rate limit of 60 requests/hour. So each time you save your work and the grip server is running, you lose one request. And it you use VSCode auto-save, you're kind of screwed. Prefer either

  • not to save, unless you finish modifications
  • not to run grip while editing
  • or add a --norefresh option

You can have 5000 requests/hour if you add option --user with your credentials like this

grip my_file.md --user hermann-web:<my-token>

Offline renderer

Note

There is an offline renderer but it didn't make 2.0 release.

When it will be available, it quite is useful if

  • you don't have internet connection
  • or have have issue about sending your sensitive files to github-microsoft You can use it like this
grip my_file.md --ofline-renderer

Cool features

  • add -b if you want it to open a browser tab for you
  • --quiet to avoid printing in the terminal Use --help to see more of this