It’s no secret that remote work and digital collaboration have increased dramatically in recent years. That means having the right tools to document and share knowledge virtually is crucial.
It’s why we created HackMD in the first place.
But deciding what tool is the best for you can be overwhelming. And choosing the wrong tool can lead to frustration, inefficiencies, and wasted time.
We don’t want this to happen to you.
And that’s why we started a series of articles aimed to help you choose the best tool for you. So today we’re diving into some of the factors to consider when choosing between HackMD and another popular note-taking tool: Google Docs.
Two tools for documentation
HackMD and Google Docs are two popular options for remote documentation and knowledge sharing, each serving distinct needs. While both platforms are designed to enhance real-time collaboration, they cater to different types of users and workflows.
This differing focus is crucial in understanding which tool will be right for you.
At a high level, HackMD is a Markdown-based platform built specifically with technical teams in mind. Whether you’re a developer working on documentation or a project manager coordinating notes for an open-source project, HackMD is a powerful tool that prioritizes efficiency, simplicity, and technical accuracy.
Google Docs, on the other hand, is a widely used general-purpose document creation platform designed to be accessible to all. Anyone across really any team could use Google Docs with relative ease.
Both enable real-time collaboration, but their core functionality was created for different audiences and result in very different experiences.
Developer-focused functionality
As we mentioned before, HackMD was created with technical teams in mind. The Markdown format is ideal for creating technical documentation, wikis, meeting notes, and more. It eliminates the need for complex WYSIWYG editors; prioritizing simplicity and efficiency.
But even beyond Markdown, HackMD has functionality built with developers and technical teams in mind.
The GitHub integration allows technical teams to link their HackMD documents with their GitHub respositories. From there, they can push or pull any document, anytime to ensure all project information is up-to-date and in one central location. A natural fit within dev workflows and especially useful for open-source projects or team wikis stored in version-controlled repositories.
Building on that, code blocks allow developers to write and format code snippets directly within their documents. In fact, unlike most standard document editors, HackMD is optimized for code-heavy documents. Whether highlighting syntax, indenting code, or preserving formatting, HackMD’s code block functionality ensures clarity and readability in technical documentation.
As technical teams know, there can often be many circulating documents detailing different aspects of one single project, leading to hours wasted searching for docs and frustration. Book Mode within HackMD is a powerful feature designed to help technical teams organize project information efficiently. By allowing users to compile multiple documents — such as READMEs, scope outlines, timeframes, PRDs, or copy docs — into a single cohesive “book,” teams can keep all relevant project content in one easily accessible location. This structure streamlines collaboration, enabling users to navigate between sections without the need to hunt down separate files or juggle multiple tabs.
And of course, HackMD supports LaTeX, UML diagrams, and other flavors of formula writing. So when you need to dig into complex mathematical notations or code architecture, you won’t miss a beat on HackMD.
When it comes to developer-focused documentation, HackMD excels in its simplicity and speed; without sacrificing the features you need to succeed.
Now, if we consider Google Docs, we find that while it does have an extensive list of formatting and functionality to ensure the average user can write with ease, it’s missing streamlined developer-focused components.
For example, Google Docs does allow all documents to be written in Markdown. It has to be enabled first within Tools, but once enabled the Markdown feature remains for all documents. Fair enough.
Want to connect GitHub and Google Docs? You have to integrate with a third-party tool or manual multi-step workaround. It is certainly possible, but not without causing you a headache. And this seems to sum up much of Google Docs ‘developer-focused’ functionality.
It is possible, but because Google Docs wasn’t specifically built with developers in mind, there’s a steeper investment in research, time, and management to get the features a technical team needs.
So to reiterate, Google Docs has an extension list of features and functionality, and even some that developers would find handy. But because these features are often hidden or require workarounds, when it comes to a developer-focused product HackMD shines through.
Truly owning your documentation
Portability and truly owning your documentation are other important values of HackMD.
On the surface, both HackMD and Google Docs can export notes as Markdown files. But if you dig a little deeper you find that not all exporting is the same.
Since markdown is a widely accepted standard, documents created in HackMD are inherently portable. You can easily move markdown files between platforms without reformatting the content. This is a big win for developers working on open-source documentation or using Markdown-powered blogs or knowledge bases.
HackMD advocates for a Markdown-first approach, preserving content integrity from start to finish.
If we look at Google Docs, it integrates directly with other Google products, enabling easy storage and sharing across devices. Which is nice and all, but doesn’t bode well for cross-platform portability. In fact, if you want to download all of your documents as Markdown files you have to download them each individually. The “Download as Markdown” function is only available within individual docs and not within Google Drive.
Remember how painful it was to move all your content off Evernote? This is what you’d experience again when exporting from Google Docs.
HackMD on the other hand, allows you to download all of your Markdown notes with the click of a button. The Markdown format will outlive Google Docs or HackMD. Giving you peace of mind that you’ll always have access to your content.
A product made for you
Ultimately, the choice between HackMD and Google Docs boils down to your specific workflow and priorities.
While Google Docs caters to a wider audience, HackMD shines in its developer-focused efficiency, functionality, and portability.
In a world where productivity tools abound, HackMD emerges as a focused solution for those who value streamlined workflows and effective communication. While Google Docs offers wider accessibility, HackMD’s emphasis on straightforward note-taking and markdown proficiency may resonate more strongly with individuals and teams seeking clarity and efficiency in their work processes.
