presentation-tool-selection

name	presentation-tool-selection
description	Best practice decision matrix for choosing between Marp, Gamma, and PptxGenJS based on use case requirements.
tier	standard
applyTo	**/*presentation*,**/*slides*,**/*deck*,**/*pptx*
currency	2026-04-22T00:00:00.000Z

Presentation Tool Selection Skill

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.

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Tool Nicknames (Quick Reference)

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"

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The Three Tools

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

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Quick Decision Matrix

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    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)    │
              └───────────────────────────────┘

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Detailed Comparison

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

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Use Case Matrix

Choose MARP When:

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:

---
marp: true
theme: default
---

# Slide Title

- Bullet point
- Another point

---

# Next Slide

Export: Use export_marp tool or VS Code Marp extension

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Choose GAMMA When:

Scenario	Why Gamma
Pitch decks for stakeholders	Professional polish, AI layouts
Rapid prototyping	Content → deck in minutes
Non-technical audiences	Beautiful defaults
Presentations from rough notes	AI structures the narrative
Client-facing deliverables	Publication-quality output

Gamma Workflow:

1. Provide topic/outline to Alex
2. Alex applies Duarte methodology (see gamma-presentations skill)
3. Alex generates structured markdown
4. Paste into gamma.app → AI creates polished deck

Best Practice: Use Alex as presentation consultant first (audience, goal, S.T.A.R. moments), then generate.

---

Choose PPTXGENJS When:

Scenario	Why PptxGenJS
Automated reports	Data → slides pipeline
Dashboard exports	Charts from live data
Batch generation	100 personalized decks
CI/CD integration	Generate on build
Custom branding	Full Slide Master control

PptxGenJS Workflow:

import { generateAndSavePresentation } from './pptxGenerator';

const slides = [
  { type: 'title', title: 'Q4 Report', subtitle: 'Automated' },
  { type: 'chart', chartType: 'bar', data: quarterlyData }
];

await generateAndSavePresentation(slides, {}, 'report.pptx');

Best Practice: Define slide templates, feed data, automate export.

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Decision Flowchart by Context

Context	Recommended Tool	Rationale
"I have rough notes"	Gamma	AI structures content
"I have structured data"	PptxGenJS	Programmatic charts/tables
"I have Markdown content"	Marp	Direct conversion
"I need it in 5 minutes"	Gamma	Fastest to polished
"I need it repeatable monthly"	PptxGenJS	Automation
"I need Git history"	Marp	Plain text source
"Audience is executives"	Gamma	Professional polish
"Audience is developers"	Marp	Code-adjacent workflow
"Audience is data analysts"	PptxGenJS	Chart-heavy

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Hybrid Workflows

Sometimes the best approach combines tools:

Marp → Gamma Refinement

1. Draft slides in Marp (fast iteration)
2. Export rough content
3. Refine in Gamma for final polish

PptxGenJS + Marp Templates

1. Use Marp themes for branding reference
2. Replicate in PptxGenJS Slide Masters
3. Automate data-driven generation

Gamma Consulting → PptxGenJS Automation

1. Use Alex/Gamma for narrative structure
2. Implement as PptxGenJS templates
3. Feed data for automated generation

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Anti-Patterns

❌ Don't	✅ Instead
Use PptxGenJS for one-off deck	Use Marp (faster)
Use Marp for executive pitch	Use Gamma (better polish)
Use Gamma for automated reports	Use PptxGenJS (data integration)
Manually edit Gamma exports	Re-generate or use Marp
Copy-paste between tools	Define shared templates

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Activation Triggers

• "which presentation tool", "what tool for slides"
• "marp vs gamma", "pptx vs gamma", "slides vs pitch"
• "use slides", "use pitch", "use auto"
• "create presentation" (then assess requirements)
• "best way to make slides"
• "presentation strategy"

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