John Gruber — Writer, developer, and creator of Markdown, known for building influential tools and utilities for writers and developers, and for shaping modern web writing, typography, and developer workflows through elegant, minimal software.
18 articles from this blog
A tutorial on creating an AppleScript to save MarsEdit blog drafts as text files, enhancing a blogger's workflow.
A critique of modern web design, arguing that user frustration is an intentional product of ad-driven metrics and hostile UX.
Analysis of Tim Cook's interview and CNBC's misleading headline about his retirement rumors and Apple's executive departures.
Explains why the MacBook Neo's on-screen camera indicator is as secure as a hardware light, due to Apple's secure enclave architecture.
Analysis of Apple's inconsistent naming for the 'Web Kit' framework, debating 'Web Kit' vs. 'WebKit' spelling.
Explains the correct order for listing modifier keys (Fn, Control, Option, Shift, Command) in Mac keyboard shortcuts, per Apple's style guide.
Analysis of Apple's MacBook Neo, a $600 laptop using the iPhone's A18 Pro chip, and its performance compared to Intel-based Macs and the Apple Silicon transition.
A review of the iPhone 17e, focusing on its 'speed bump' hardware updates and the significant addition of MagSafe compared to its predecessor.
Review of HazeOver, a Mac utility that dims background windows to highlight the active one, solving a macOS UI problem.
Explains a hidden iOS 26 Phone app setting that changes the tap behavior for recent calls, comparing Unified and Classic modes.
Analysis of Apple's 2025 top free iPhone apps in the U.S., focusing on the rankings, major tech players like Google and Meta, and commentary on Elon Musk's lawsuit.
Explores 'Untitled Document Syndrome' and how software friction, like verbose syntax, discourages starting tasks, using programming language examples.
Analysis debunking claims of low iOS 26 adoption, attributing flawed reports to a change in Safari's user agent string reporting.
A look at MacOS 26 Tahoe's new Finder feature to auto-resize columns to fit filenames, within a broader critique of the OS's UI changes.
Analysis of Apple's Creator Studio app icons and the broader software design philosophy at Apple, using icon changes as a case study.
MacPaw is shutting down its SetApp Mobile app marketplace in the EU, citing unprofitable business terms and Apple's DMA compliance issues.
Analysis of why resizing windows in macOS Tahoe is difficult due to invisible hit targets and the removal of visual resize affordances.
Analysis of tech CEOs' inaction on deepfake apps, arguing fear of political power outweighs moral responsibility.
