Best practice decision matrix for choosing between Marp, Gamma, and PptxGenJS based on use case requirements.
Choose the right presentation tool for your use case — Slides, Pitch, or Auto.
Alex has three presentation generation capabilities. This skill provides the decision framework for selecting the optimal tool based on requirements.
| Nickname | Full Name | Remember As |
|---|---|---|
| Slides | Marp | "Markdown slides" |
| Pitch | Gamma | "AI pitch deck" |
| Auto | PptxGenJS | "Automated reports" |
Just say: "use Slides", "use Pitch", or "use Auto"
| Nickname | Tool | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slides | Marp | Markdown → Multi-format | Version-controlled technical docs |
| Pitch | Gamma | AI-generated | Professional pitch decks, rapid prototyping |
| Auto | PptxGenJS | Programmatic API | Automated reports, data-driven slides |
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PRESENTATION TOOL SELECTOR │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
START HERE
│
▼
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ Need AI to generate content │──YES──▶ PITCH (Gamma)
│ from a topic/prompt? │ (AI-powered)
└───────────────────────────────┘
│ NO
▼
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ Need programmatic/automated │──YES──▶ AUTO (PptxGenJS)
│ generation from data/API? │ (Code-based)
└───────────────────────────────┘
│ NO
▼
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ Need version control + │──YES──▶ SLIDES (Marp)
│ simple Markdown workflow? │ (Markdown-first)
└───────────────────────────────┘
│ NO
▼
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ Default: Start with SLIDES │
│ (fastest to get started) │
└───────────────────────────────┘
| Criterion | Marp | Gamma | PptxGenJS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input | Markdown | Natural language prompt | JSON/TypeScript |
| Output | HTML, PDF, PPTX | Web link, exportable | Native .pptx |
| Offline | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| AI Generation | ❌ Manual | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Manual |
| Version Control | ✅ Git-friendly | ❌ Cloud-hosted | ⚠️ Code only |
| Data Integration | ❌ Static | ❌ Manual | ✅ API/JSON |
| Brand Templates | ✅ CSS themes | ✅ Auto-themed | ✅ Custom masters |
| Learning Curve | Low | Very Low | Medium |
| Dependency | VS Code extension | Web service | Node.js |
| Scenario | Why Marp |
|---|---|
| Technical documentation | Markdown source = version controlled |
| Conference talks | Developer-friendly, Git-trackable |
| Internal team updates | Quick edits, no design overhead |
| Multi-format needs | Same source → HTML + PDF + PPTX |
| Offline-first | No cloud dependency |
Marp Workflow:
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