Complete CLI reference

--html

Prints HTML instead of terminal formatting.

--render-html

-E, --render-html

Renders raw HTML fragments as terminal-formatted content instead of displaying their tags literally.

• HTML nesting is limited to 64 DOM elements.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

<details>
<summary>Details</summary>
<p>A <strong>formatted</strong> paragraph.</p>
</details>

<details>
<summary>Details</summary>
<p>A <strong>formatted</strong> paragraph.</p>
</details>

--line-numbers

-N, --line-numbers [<MODE>]

Prefixes terminal and pager rows with line numbers.

• Without a mode, it numbers rendered rows
• source uses physical Markdown source lines
• separator adds a separator
• "source;separator" combines both.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

 Example
  
  A paragraph long enough to wrap into multiple rendered rows at
  the selected terminal width.
  
  Last paragraph.

## Example

A paragraph long enough to wrap into multiple rendered rows at the selected terminal width.

Last paragraph.

--color

--color <auto|always|never>

Controls terminal styling.

• auto enables ANSI and OSC 8 only when stdout is a terminal
• always preserves styling through pipes
• never emits plain rendered output.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --color always example.md

Emphasis, strong text, both.

Inline `code`, removed and highlighted text.

*Emphasis*, **strong text**, ***both***.

Inline `code`, ~~removed~~ and ==highlighted== text.

--color-depth

--color-depth <auto|16|256|truecolor>

Detects the terminal palette or sets its limit explicitly.

• Applies to document colors and the interactive interface; default auto.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --color-depth 16 example.md

Example
 
 Read Markdown with `mdv`.
 
 ╭─ Note ─────────────────────╮
 │ Terminal document preview. │
 ╰────────────────────────────╯
 
   fn main() {
       println!("hello, mdv");
   }
 
 Open the guide.

# Example

Read **Markdown** with `mdv`.

> [!NOTE]
> Terminal document preview.

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

Open the [guide](https://example.org/guide).

--hide-comments

Removes Markdown comments from the rendered output.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

Visible text.

<!-- An internal comment. -->
More text.

Visible text.

<!-- An internal comment. -->

More text.

--front-matter

--front-matter <hidden|panel|table|plain|inline|blocks|code|source>

Controls an exact ----delimited YAML property mapping beginning on the first line.

• hidden omits it
• panel renders a property panel
• table uses Property/Value columns
• plain emits normalized key/value lines
• inline joins properties into one flowing row
• blocks places each value below its key
• code renders highlighted YAML
• source parses the complete input as ordinary Markdown.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --front-matter hidden example.md

 Start
  
  Read the document.

---
title: Guide
author: Alice
tags: [docs, terminal]
---

## Start

Read the document.

--theme-info

--theme-info [FILE]

Shows the active palette; when FILE is provided it renders the file along with palette information.

--from

--from <TEXT>

Starts rendering from the first match of <TEXT>.

• Adding :<lines> limits the number of lines (for example --from "Install:20").

--reverse

-r, --reverse

Renders the document starting from the end while keeping block formatting intact.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

 First section
  
  First paragraph.
  
  Second paragraph.

 Next section
  
  Keep reading.

## First section

First paragraph.

Second paragraph.

## Next section

Keep reading.

--pager

-p, --pager[=<COMMAND>]

Opens the rendered output in a pager.

• A bare flag uses MDV_PAGER when set and the default pager otherwise.
• --pager=default selects the default backend (currently the built-in minus)
• --pager=builtin explicitly selects minus, and a command such as --pager="less -R" receives the rendered output on stdin.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --wrap word --pager=builtin README.md

                                                                                
mdv guide                                                                       
                                                                                
 Read Markdown right in your terminal.                                          
                                                                                
 Installation                                                                   
                                                                                
  Install mdv and open any Markdown document.                                   
                                                                                
    cargo install mdv                                                           
    mdv README.md                                                               
                                                                                
 Themes                                                                         
                                                                                
  Choose a theme for the document and interface.                                
                                                                                
    mdv --theme catppuccin README.md                                            
                                                                                
  Presets                                                                       
                                                                                
   The reader preset provides comfortable reading defaults.                     
 MDV  README.md                                                      0%  ? Help 

# mdv guide

Read Markdown right in your terminal.

## Installation

Install mdv and open any Markdown document.

```sh
cargo install mdv
mdv README.md
```

## Themes

Choose a theme for the document and interface.

```sh
mdv --theme catppuccin README.md
```

### Presets

The reader preset provides comfortable reading defaults.

## Navigation

Use search, the outline and line numbers.

- Find the section you need.
- Select text to copy.
- Return to reading the document.

## Links

Open the [documentation](https://example.org/docs).

--interactive

-i, --interactive

Opens the interactive document browser.

• A directory opens the browser; a file or standard input opens the document directly in the selected pager.
• Running mdv without arguments in a terminal opens the current directory, and passing a directory opens that directory.
• Redirected output does not open the browser implicitly.
• The browser recursively finds Markdown files while honoring hidden-file and .gitignore rules.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin -i docs/

                                                                                
    MDV                                                                         
                                                                                
   8 documents                                                                  
                                                                                
 │ CHANGELOG.md                                                                 
 │ 8 hours ago                                                                  
                                                                                
   README.md                                                                    
   1 hour ago                                                                   
                                                                                
   examples/code.md                                                             
   6 hours ago                                                                  
                                                                                
   examples/tables.md                                                           
   7 hours ago                                                                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
   ••                                                                           
                                                                                
   h/l ←/→ page • / find • . show ignored • r refresh • e edit • q quit • …     
                                                                                

docs/
  README.md
  guides/installation.md
  guides/themes.md
  guides/presets.md
  guides/navigation.md
  examples/code.md
  examples/tables.md
  CHANGELOG.md

--monitor

Watches the source file and re-renders when it changes.

--config-file

-F, --config-file <CONFIG_DIR>

Reads configuration from the provided directory.

--preset

-P, --preset <NAME>

Applies a built-in or user preset above the configuration file and below explicit CLI options.

mdv --no-config --cols 64 example.md

Example
 
 Read Markdown with `mdv`.
 
 ╭─ Note ─────────────────────╮
 │ Terminal document preview. │
 ╰────────────────────────────╯
 
   fn main() {
       println!("hello, mdv");
   }
 
 Open the guide.

# Example

Read **Markdown** with `mdv`.

> [!NOTE]
> Terminal document preview.

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

Open the [guide](https://example.org/guide).

--preset-info

Lists available presets when no positional FILE is provided.

• mdv --preset-info FILE --preset NAME renders the document and prints Current preset: NAME; with FILE but no --preset, the flag does not alter rendering.

--no-config

-n, --no-config

Skips config.yaml/config.yml; presets remain available.

--init-config

--init-config [CONFIG_DIR]

Creates the default config file.

• Uses the provided directory
• --config-file
• MDV_CONFIG_PATH, or the default config directory.

--theme

-t, --theme <NAME>

Chooses a built-in or user theme (default terminal).

mdv --no-config --theme terminal --cols 64 example.md

Example
 
 Read Markdown with `mdv`.
 
 ╭─ Note ─────────────────────╮
 │ Terminal document preview. │
 ╰────────────────────────────╯
 
   fn main() {
       println!("hello, mdv");
   }
 
 Open the guide.

# Example

Read **Markdown** with `mdv`.

> [!NOTE]
> Terminal document preview.

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

Open the [guide](https://example.org/guide).

--code-theme

-T, --code-theme <NAME>

Selects a separate syntax palette.

• Without an explicit selection, code follows the document theme.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --code-theme terminal example.md

  fn main() {
      println!("hello, mdv");
  }

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

--syntaxes-dir

--syntaxes-dir <DIR>

Recursively loads custom .sublime-syntax files on top of the embedded syntax set.

• Custom entries take precedence over matching built-in syntaxes.

--code-block-style

-b, --code-block-style <basic|simple|pretty>[:show-name;show-icon]

Selects an indented borderless block, a single gutter, or a boxed frame.

• Labels are hidden by default
• show-name displays the language name
• show-icon displays its icon, and both options may be combined (default basic).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --code-block-style basic example.md

  fn main() {
      println!("hello, mdv");
  }

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --code-block-style pretty example.md

╭─────────────────────────────╮
│ fn main() {                 │
│     println!("hello, mdv"); │
│ }                           │
╰─────────────────────────────╯

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

--math-block-style

--math-block-style <basic|simple|pretty>

Selects the presentation for display formulas and fenced math/latex/tex blocks.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --math-block-style basic example.md

   a+b
   ─── = √(x² + 1)
    c

$$
\frac{a+b}{c} = \sqrt{x^2 + 1}
$$

--code-line-numbers

-K, --code-line-numbers [<MODE>]

Numbers rows inside each code block.

• Without a mode, every wrapped terminal row is numbered
• source numbers physical code lines and leaves wrapped continuations unnumbered
• separator adds a separator
• "source;separator" combines both modes.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 44 example.md

  fn main() {
      let message = "A long line of code tha
        t wraps to the available terminal wi
        dth";
      println!("{message}");
  }

```rust
fn main() {
    let message = "A long line of code that wraps to the available terminal width";
    println!("{message}");
}
```

--custom-theme

--custom-theme <key=value;...>

Overrides UI colors on top of the selected theme.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

Example
 
 Read Markdown with `mdv`.
 
 ╭─ Note ─────────────────────╮
 │ Terminal document preview. │
 ╰────────────────────────────╯
 
   fn main() {
       println!("hello, mdv");
   }
 
 Open the guide.

# Example

Read **Markdown** with `mdv`.

> [!NOTE]
> Terminal document preview.

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

Open the [guide](https://example.org/guide).

--inline-style

--inline-style <STYLES>

Overrides decorations for emphasis

• strong
• strong_emphasis
• code
• strikethrough
• highlight.
• Use element:property=true,property=false entries separated by ;; properties are backticks
• bold
• italic
• underline
• strikethrough (for example --inline-style 'code:backticks=false,bold=true;highlight:underline=true').

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

Emphasis, strong text, both.

Inline `code`, removed and highlighted text.

*Emphasis*, **strong text**, ***both***.

Inline `code`, ~~removed~~ and ==highlighted== text.

--custom-code-theme

--custom-code-theme <key=value;...>

Overrides syntax colors using the same format as --custom-theme.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

  fn main() {
      println!("hello, mdv");
  }

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

--custom-code-block

--custom-code-block <lang:icon=...,label=...,aliases=...|...>[;...]

Overrides the icon, label, and aliases for specific code block languages.

• Multiple languages are separated by ;, options within one language by ,, and aliases by | (for example
• python:icon=*,label=Python,aliases=py|py3;rust:icon=R).
• Works for any language hint, even if it is not in the built-in icon mapping.
• Syntax highlighting is applied only when the language is supported by mdv’s syntax highlighting logic.
• Use default:icon=... to set the fallback icon for unknown languages.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --code-block-style 'pretty:show-name;show-icon' example.md

╭─  Rust ────────────────────╮
│ fn main() {                 │
│     println!("hello, mdv"); │
│ }                           │
╰─────────────────────────────╯

```rust
fn main() {
    println!("hello, mdv");
}
```

--callout-style

-C, --callout-style <pretty|simple>[:show-icons;show-simple-icons;fold-icons;label-inside;uppercase]

Sets the callout layout and label behavior.

• show-icons uses Nerd Font glyphs
• show-simple-icons uses portable ASCII markers such as [i]
• [*]
• [!]
• [x].
• The two icon options cannot be combined.
• label-inside is only supported with pretty
• fold-icons requires show-icons.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --callout-style pretty example.md

╭─ Note ──────────────────────────╮
│ Read Markdown in your terminal. │
╰─────────────────────────────────╯

╭─ Tip ──────────────────────────────╮
│ Choose a theme for your workspace. │
╰────────────────────────────────────╯

> [!NOTE]
> Read Markdown in your terminal.

> [!TIP]
> Choose a theme for your workspace.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --callout-style pretty example.md

╭─ Note ──────────────────────────╮
│ Read Markdown in your terminal. │
╰─────────────────────────────────╯

╭─ Tip ──────────────────────────────╮
│ Choose a theme for your workspace. │
╰────────────────────────────────────╯

> [!NOTE]
> Read Markdown in your terminal.

> [!TIP]
> Choose a theme for your workspace.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --callout-style pretty example.md

╭─ Note ──────────────────────────╮
│ Read Markdown in your terminal. │
╰─────────────────────────────────╯

╭─ Tip ──────────────────────────────╮
│ Choose a theme for your workspace. │
╰────────────────────────────────────╯

> [!NOTE]
> Read Markdown in your terminal.

> [!TIP]
> Choose a theme for your workspace.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --callout-style pretty example.md

╭─ Note ──────────────────────────╮
│ Read Markdown in your terminal. │
╰─────────────────────────────────╯

╭─ Tip ──────────────────────────────╮
│ Choose a theme for your workspace. │
╰────────────────────────────────────╯

> [!NOTE]
> Read Markdown in your terminal.

> [!TIP]
> Choose a theme for your workspace.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --callout-style 'pretty:show-icons' example.md

╭─  Details ───────────────────────╮
│ Terminal content remains visible. │
╰───────────────────────────────────╯

> [!NOTE]- Details
> Terminal content remains visible.

--custom-callout

--custom-callout <name:icon=...,color=...;...>

Overrides or adds callout labels.

• icon and color are optional; color formats match --custom-theme.

• A Nerd Font is required in the terminal for icons enabled by show-icons and fold-icons to render correctly. show-simple-icons does not require a Nerd Font.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

╭─ Note ──────────────────────────╮
│ Read Markdown in your terminal. │
╰─────────────────────────────────╯

╭─ Tip ──────────────────────────────╮
│ Choose a theme for your workspace. │
╰────────────────────────────────────╯

> [!NOTE]
> Read Markdown in your terminal.

> [!TIP]
> Choose a theme for your workspace.

--checkbox-style

-x, --checkbox-style <square|circle>

Renders task-list checkboxes as Nerd Font icons instead of the default [ ] / [x] markers.

• Requires a Nerd Font in the terminal.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

[ ] Read the guide
[✓] Install mdv

- [ ] Read the guide
- [x] Install mdv

--custom-checkbox

--custom-checkbox <PAIRS>

Overrides built-in checkbox icons or adds new states (only with --checkbox-style).

• Each semicolon-separated pair is either <char>:<icon>[:<color>] or <char>:<color>.

• The color-only form keeps an existing icon or uses the default unchecked icon for a new state.

• Colors accept named, hex, rgb

• ansi(N) values.

• Override: --custom-checkbox ' :!' replace the unchecked icon

• Add: --custom-checkbox '*:*' add a new [*] checkbox state

• Color: --custom-checkbox ' :!:yellow' or #ff0000, 128,1,1, ansi(200)

• Color only: --custom-checkbox '?:red' keeps the Nerd Font icon for the ? state and applies red.

• New state, color only: --custom-checkbox '*:yellow' uses the default unchecked icon and applies yellow.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --checkbox-style square example.md

󰄱 Read the guide
󰄲 Install mdv
[*] Review settings
󰞋 Ask a question

- [ ] Read the guide
- [x] Install mdv
- [*] Review settings
- [?] Ask a question

--list-style

-L, --list-style <style>

Replaces the default - unordered-list markers with a level-aware icon set.

• The value is required and uses the format type:<nerd-font|unicode>;size:<large|small>, for example --list-style 'type:unicode;size:small'.

• size changes only Nerd Font markers. Unicode accepts either value but renders the same markers; their spacing may vary by font. Verified with Nerd Font families, especially JetBrainsMono Nerd Font.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

- Documents
  - Guides
    - Installation
      - Linux
- Examples

- Documents
  - Guides
    - Installation
      - Linux
- Examples

--definition-marker-style

-D, --definition-marker-style <unicode|nerd-font>

Renders definition descriptions with a built-in Unicode or Nerd Font marker.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

Theme
  Colors for a document.

Preset
  A reusable group of settings.

Theme
: Colors for a document.

Preset
: A reusable group of settings.

--uniform-list-marker

--uniform-list-marker <level:1-4|icon:glyph>

Uses one marker at every nesting level (only with --list-style).

• level:2 reuses level 2 from the selected set
• icon:* uses a custom glyph.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --list-style 'type:unicode;size:small' example.md

⦁ Documents
  ▪ Guides
    ⚬ Installation
      ▫ Linux
⦁ Examples

- Documents
  - Guides
    - Installation
      - Linux
- Examples

--custom-list

--custom-list <level>:<icon>[:<color>];...

Overrides the marker icon and/or color for specific nesting levels (only with --list-style).

• Level is 1-based; icon is the marker glyph.

• Colors accept named (red), hex (#ff0000), rgb (255,0,0)

• ansi(N) values.

• Icon + color: --custom-list '1:*:yellow' marker * in yellow

• Icon only: --custom-list '1:>' marker > in theme color

• Color only: --custom-list '1:red' keep built-in icon, red color

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --list-style 'type:unicode;size:small' example.md

⦁ Documents
  ▪ Guides
    ⚬ Installation
      ▫ Linux
⦁ Examples

- Documents
  - Guides
    - Installation
      - Linux
- Examples

--cols

-c, --cols <N>

Enforces the output width.

• Without it, mdv uses a detected terminal width of at least 20 columns, then configured cols, then 80 columns.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 40 --wrap word example.md

A Markdown viewer keeps a long paragraph
readable while you change the terminal 
width. Each option controls how these 
words are arranged without changing the 
document.

A Markdown viewer keeps a long paragraph readable while you change the terminal width. Each option controls how these words are arranged without changing the document.

--margin

-m, --margin <right:N;left:N>

Reserves separate left and right terminal margins.

• An omitted side defaults to 0.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

A Markdown viewer keeps a long paragraph readable while you chan
ge the terminal width. Each option controls how these words are 
arranged without changing the document.

A Markdown viewer keeps a long paragraph readable while you change the terminal width. Each option controls how these words are arranged without changing the document.

--tab-length

--tab-length <N>

Replaces tab characters with N spaces (default 4).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --tab-length 2 example.md

  name  status
  mdv  ready

```text
name	status
mdv	ready
```

--wrap

-w, --wrap <char|word|none>

Selects the break strategy for text, code, callouts, and table cells (default char).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 40 --wrap char example.md

A Markdown viewer keeps a long paragraph
readable while you change the terminal w
idth. Each option controls how these wor
ds are arranged without changing the doc
ument.

A Markdown viewer keeps a long paragraph readable while you change the terminal width. Each option controls how these words are arranged without changing the document.

--reflow

Collapses in-paragraph source newlines (soft breaks) and refills each line to the wrap width, so hard-wrapped source reflows to fit smaller screens.

• Requires wrapping to be enabled; hard breaks are preserved.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --wrap word example.md

This paragraph was wrapped
in the source file.
The reader can join its
soft line breaks together.

This paragraph was wrapped
in the source file.
The reader can join its
soft line breaks together.

--table-wrap

-W, --table-wrap <fit|wrap|none>

Chooses table geometry: fit cells, split columns into blocks, or allow overflow (default fit).

• Cell breaks still follow --wrap.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 40 --table-wrap fit example.md

 Name    │ Description         │ Status 
─────────┼─────────────────────┼────────
 reader  │ Comfortable long-fo │ ready  
         │ rm reading with wor │        
         │ d wrapping          │        
 compact │ Dense output for a  │ ready  
         │ narrow terminal wor │        
         │ kspace              │

| Name | Description | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| reader | Comfortable long-form reading with word wrapping | ready |
| compact | Dense output for a narrow terminal workspace | ready |

--table-borders

-B, --table-borders

Restores full rounded table borders.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

 Name    │ Wrap 
─────────┼──────
 reader  │ word 
 compact │ char

| Name | Wrap |
| --- | --- |
| reader | word |
| compact | char |

--table-smart-indent

-S, --table-smart-indent

Automatic table indent adjustment based on available width.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 40 example.md

     Settings
      
 Name    │ Description         │ Status 
─────────┼─────────────────────┼────────
 reader  │ Comfortable long-fo │ ready  
         │ rm reading with wor │        
         │ d wrapping          │        
 compact │ Dense output for a  │ ready  
         │ narrow terminal wor │        
         │ kspace              │

###### Settings

| Name | Description | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| reader | Comfortable long-form reading with word wrapping | ready |
| compact | Dense output for a narrow terminal workspace | ready |

--heading-layout

-H, --heading-layout <level|center|flat|none>

Controls heading indentation (default level).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --heading-layout level example.md

Guide
 
 An introduction.

 Installation
  
  Install the program.

  Usage
   
   Open a document.

# Guide

An introduction.

## Installation

Install the program.

### Usage

Open a document.

--show-heading-markers

Prefixes headings with markdown-style markers matching their level.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

Guide
 
 An introduction.

 Installation
  
  Install the program.

  Usage
   
   Open a document.

# Guide

An introduction.

## Installation

Install the program.

### Usage

Open a document.

--smart-indent

-I, --smart-indent

Smooths indentation jumps between heading levels in level mode.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

Guide
 
 Introduction.

   Details
    
    A level was skipped.

# Guide

Introduction.

#### Details

A level was skipped.

--code-wrap-indent

--code-wrap-indent <none|base|double>

Sets the hanging indent applied to wrapped code block lines (default double).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 44 --code-wrap-indent none example.md

  fn main() {
      let message = "A long line of code tha
  t wraps to the available terminal width";
      println!("{message}");
  }

```rust
fn main() {
    let message = "A long line of code that wraps to the available terminal width";
    println!("{message}");
}
```

--block-spacing

--block-spacing <spec>

Overrides top and bottom blank lines per block.

• Omitted sides keep their defaults, and adjacent block gaps collapse to the larger value.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

 First section
  
  First paragraph.
  
  Second paragraph.

 Next section
  
  Keep reading.

## First section

First paragraph.

Second paragraph.

## Next section

Keep reading.

--horizontal-rule-style

--horizontal-rule-style <pretty|simple>

Draws Markdown rules and HTML <hr> with decorative endpoints or as a continuous line.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --horizontal-rule-style pretty example.md

Before the rule.

◈──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────◈

After the rule.

Before the rule.

---

After the rule.

--show-empty-elements

Keeps normally hidden empty headings, lists, block quotes, code blocks, and tables in the output.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --code-block-style 'pretty:show-name' example.md

Before an empty code block.

After the block.

Before an empty code block.

```rust
```

After the block.

--no-code-guessing

Disables heuristic detection of code block languages (unknown blocks remain plain text).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 example.md

  #!/usr/bin/env python3
  def greet(name):
      print(f"Hello, {name}!")
  greet("mdv")

```
#!/usr/bin/env python3
def greet(name):
    print(f"Hello, {name}!")
greet("mdv")
```

--link-style

-u, --link-style <clickable|fclickable|inline|inlinetable|endtable|hide>

Changes how links are displayed (default clickable).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --link-style clickable example.md

Open the guide and examples.

Keep reading the document.

Open the [guide](https://example.org/guide) and [examples](https://example.org/examples).

Keep reading the document.

--link-overflow

-l, --link-overflow <wrap|cut|tablecut|none>

Controls whether links wrap, are shortened, or overflow the available width (default wrap).

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 40 --link-style inline --link-overflow wrap example.md

Documentation(https://example.org/docume
ntation/terminal/formatting/links-and-fo
otnotes)

 Page  │ Link                           
───────┼────────────────────────────────
 Guide │ Open(https://example.org/docum 
       │ entation/terminal/formatting/l 
       │ inks-and-footnotes)

[Documentation](https://example.org/documentation/terminal/formatting/links-and-footnotes)

| Page | Link |
| --- | --- |
| Guide | [Open](https://example.org/documentation/terminal/formatting/links-and-footnotes) |

--footnote-style

--footnote-style <endnotes|attached>

Places footnotes at the end of the document or immediately after the block that references them, including paragraphs, tables, and list items.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --footnote-style endnotes example.md

First statement.[^a]

Another paragraph.

Second statement.[^b]

◇──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────◇
[^a] First note.
[^b] Second note.

First statement.[^a]

Another paragraph.

Second statement.[^b]

[^a]: First note.
[^b]: Second note.

--missing-footnote-style

--missing-footnote-style <show|hide>

Controls placeholder entries for missing, invalid, or empty footnote definitions.

• show renders a placeholder message in the footnote block hide omits those entries entirely.

mdv --no-config --theme catppuccin --cols 64 --missing-footnote-style show example.md

A statement with a missing note.[^missing]

◇──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────◇
[^missing] Missing footnote definition

A statement with a missing note.[^missing]

mdv help

Opens the full mdv --help output in the selected pager.

• It uses MDV_PAGER when set and the built-in pager otherwise; when input or output is redirected, it prints the same help directly.

-h

Shows a concise option summary.

--help

Shows full help with value descriptions, formats, and examples.

--version

-V, --version

Prints the current version.