Rich Tabor

<h3>Comments that only render in the block editor</h3>
<p>I honestly enjoy drafting articles either locally in Ulysses, or on <a href="https://richtabor.com" rel="nofollow ugc">my blog</a> using the <a href="https://useiceberg.com/?utm_source=wp-org&utm_medium=markdown-comment-block&utm_campaign=readme-description" rel="nofollow ugc">Iceberg Editor</a>. While I do love Iceberg, once I publish an article I typically bring back the default Gutenberg experience — thus removing any comments I previously added.</p>
<p>Having the ability to add, and keep, any relevant editing comments within my posts, without rendering them on the front-end, means that I am freed up to mentally jot any idea down without thinking about it. It is simply natural and convenient.</p>
<p><a href="https://richtabor.com/markdown-comments/?utm_source=wp-org&utm_medium=markdown-comment-block&utm_campaign=readme-learnmore" rel="nofollow ugc">Learn more about Markdown Comment →</a></p>
<h3>What’s interesting about Markdown Comment:</h3>
<h4>1. Editor only</h4>
<p>The block only renders within the editor. For developers reading this, that means there’s no save function. I don’t want my unfinished ideas, reminders, and notes rendered within my post – even if they’re hidden by CSS.</p>
<h4>2. Helpful block transforms</h4>
<p>I added a couple transforms, to and from headings and paragraphs, and a raw shortcut when you type <code>%%</code> and hit the [space] key. This lets me quickly add comments, and even convert whole paragraphs or headings to a comment.</p>
<h4>3. Easily resolve comments</h4>
<p>To support that path towards simplicity, I wanted a method to quickly resolve — i.e. banish — a comment entirely. So, I added a toolbar control to quickly resolve the comment, removing the block entirely.</p>
<h4>4. No rich text support</h4>
<p>Comments need to have minimal impact on editing, and feel as natural as possible. That’s why there are no typical RichText controls (although you can still bold, italicize and add hyperlinks). And while you <em>can</em> change the color of the comment — there are no other typographic controls.</p>
<h4>5. Entirely CSS Variable ready</h4>
<p>Global styles and full site editing are opening the door for themes to be heavily powered by CSS variables. Blocks should be designed with that same mentality, which is exactly what I did here. I added simple CSS variables with fallbacks that are the default values. To further theme the comment, there’s no need to override any styles with classes, just write a few CSS variables.</p>


Markdown Comment Block

Add markdown inspired comments to posts that render only within the block editor.

Stephen Harris

<p>This plugin allows you to write posts (of any post type) using the Markdown syntax. The plugin converts the Markdown into HTML prior to saving the post. When editing a post, the plugin converts it back into Markdown syntax.</p>
<p>The plugin also allows you to enable Markdown in <strong>comments</strong> and <strong>bbPress forums</strong>. In these instances the plugin adds a toolbar, and preview of the processed Markdown with <a href="http://code.google.com/p/google-code-prettify/" rel="nofollow ugc">Prettify</a> syntax highlighter applied (similiar to that used in the Stack Exchange websites such as <a href="http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">WordPress Stack Exchange</a>).</p>
<p>WP-Markdown stores the processed HTML, so deactivating the plugin will not affect your posts, comments or bbPress forums.</p>


WP-Markdown

Version 1.5.1 of the plugin works almost perfectly.
I'm just waiting for the upcoming 1.6 update (which is in alpha on GitHub) to be pushed, so I can use GitHub Flavor-style codeblocks specifying the exact language.



Waiting for 1.6

Allows Markdown to be enabled in posts, comments and bbPress forums.

Markdown Comment Block vs WP-Markdown