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SliDesk

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Markdown-first slides with native internationalisation and file includes — no Vue project, no build step, no plugin hunting.

SliDesk is a talk engine that turns Markdown into web-based presentations. If you want the simplicity of Marp with the capabilities of Slidev, but without maintaining a Vue/Vite app to get there, this is what SliDesk is for.

Three things are built in, not bolted on:

  • Native i18n — one source file, many languages, switched by a single CLI flag
  • File includes — split a talk across files and directories with !include()
  • Zero project scaffolding — a .md file and a single Bun binary is a working talk

Prove the i18n in 30 seconds

Give the same talk in French and in English from one source file. Three files, no duplication:

# $$title$$

## $$agendaTitle$$

1. $$partIntro$$
2. $$partDemo$$

{
  "default": true,
  "translations": {
    "title": "Ship your talk in two languages",
    "agendaTitle": "Agenda",
    "partIntro": "Introduction",
    "partDemo": "Live demo"
  }
}

{
  "translations": {
    "title": "Votre talk en deux langues",
    "agendaTitle": "Au programme",
    "partIntro": "Introduction",
    "partDemo": "Démo live"
  }
}

Then flip the language with one flag:

slidesk my-talk        # English — the file marked "default": true
slidesk -l fr my-talk  # French — same slides, same theme, same notes

That is the whole feature. No duplicated deck to keep in sync, no per-language branch, no plugin.

It composes with includes

Translation happens after includes are resolved, so $$variables$$ work inside every included file. Keep slides/01-intro.md language-agnostic and let the .lang.json files carry the words.

Details: internationalisation syntax, --lang option, includes.

Where SliDesk fits

Marp Slidev SliDesk
Markdown-first ✅ ✅ ✅
Runtime to learn — Vue + Vite —
Multi-language from one source ✗ ✗ ✅ .lang.json + --lang
Slide includes ✗ per file, via src: frontmatter ✅ file or directory, one line
Speaker view with timers & notes limited ✅ ✅
Present from a terminal ✗ ✗ ✅ telnet

Read the full rationale in Why SliDesk?.

Features

  • Markdown to slides — each ## heading creates a new slide
  • Internationalisation — multi-language presentations with .lang.json
  • Includes — split a talk across files and directories with !include()
  • Live reload — edit your slides, the browser updates instantly
  • Speaker view — current + next slide, timer, notes, checkpoints
  • Telnet mode — present from any terminal via telnet
  • Plugin system — extend with front-end scripts, back-end routes, WebSocket handlers
  • Templates & themes — reusable layouts and visual styles
  • Components — custom .mjs modules that transform your slide HTML
  • Hub integration — share and discover addons at slidesk.link
  • Deploy — export static HTML, or CI/CD for GitHub/GitLab Pages

Quick start

# Install via Homebrew (macOS/Linux)
brew tap gouz/tools && brew install slidesk

# Create a new talk
slidesk create my-talk

# Present it
slidesk my-talk

# Open http://localhost:1337

See the installation tutorial for other install methods.

Documentation