Make an offline copy with its dependencies
An .md file is local, but its content can point elsewhere. Copy the complete folder, including images and linked Markdown files. The Portable Docs Lab includes docs/overview.md, a linked decision and assets/reading-path.svg; copying only the overview removes part of the document.
Inspect each image and link. A path beginning https:// is remote. A relative path such as ../assets/reading-path.svg depends on the folder structure. An absolute path beginning at a person’s home directory will not travel to another Mac. Write down remote dependencies that cannot be bundled because of ownership or licensing.
Test without the connection
- Put a copy of the folder somewhere new.
- Disconnect Wi-Fi and any VPN used to reach documentation.
- Open the copy, follow its local links and check its images.
- Restore the connection and record anything that failed.
This is a manual acceptance test, not a promise that every Markdown renderer behaves identically. The free online reader needs a page load and deliberately does not load images or open local linked files; use a desktop reader for the full-folder check. Aero Markdown’s native reader is designed to render bundled Markdown locally, but the app is not available to download yet.
If a link fails after a move, diagnose its relative path. To prepare a package for someone else, use the handoff checklist.