# Why I Created Moji to Open Markdown Files Like PDFs

> Source: <https://dev.to/alexishida/why-i-created-moji-to-open-markdown-files-like-pdfs-2d5h>
> Published: 2026-07-14 02:38:29+00:00

Moji was born from a simple need: to open a Markdown file with the same

convenience as opening a PDF.

Double-click the file, view the fully formatted content, navigate

through the document, and move on.

For a long time, I used Visual Studio Code for this. It's an excellent

tool and part of my daily workflow, but it always felt like overkill

when I just wanted to read a README, a specification, or a set of notes.

I had to launch the editor, load the file, and switch to preview mode.

That makes perfect sense when you're coding, but for simply reading a

`.md`

file, it felt more complicated than it should be.

I looked for alternatives, but I couldn't find one that worked the way I

envisioned.

So I built Moji.

🔗 [https://github.com/alexishida/Moji](https://github.com/alexishida/Moji)

Markdown is already widely used for documentation, installation guides,

API references, internal processes, and technical decisions.

With the rise of AI tools, the format has become even more important.

Today, `.md`

files are also used to store:

This is happening because Markdown is simple, human-readable, easy to

version, and structured enough to be understood by both people and AI

systems.

Despite its widespread adoption, reading Markdown still often requires a

code editor or a tool that's more powerful than necessary.

Moji's goal is to treat Markdown as a document---not just as source

code.

When you open a file, it's immediately rendered and ready to read. If

you need to make changes, simply switch to edit mode.

The goal isn't to replace an IDE, but to provide a faster, more

convenient way to access:

Moji can also be associated with `.md`

and `.markdown`

file extensions,

allowing you to open Markdown files directly from your operating system.

What started as a simple Markdown viewer has grown into a full-featured

application that includes:

Moji is currently at **v0.1.4** and is available for Windows, macOS, and

Linux.

Markdown has evolved far beyond being just a format for READMEs. It has

become a key part of project documentation and the way we interact with

AI systems.

Moji was created to support that evolution by offering a simple

experience: open, read, and edit Markdown files without having to launch

an IDE.

The project is open source, and suggestions, feedback, issues, and

contributions are always welcome.