Separate mode for Markdown files?

[Skip Montanaro]

I'm running Emacs 24.5. Apropos shows me nothing matching "markdown",
find-library doesn't find a markdown library, and Google shows multiple
markdown mode packages. At the moment I just set text-mode for .md files.
Is there a "one ring to rule them all" for markdown mode? I presume they
understand Markdown syntax to some extent and colorize things in some
non-retina-searing manner. Pick one and be done with it? Continue with
plain old text-mode? Try several (hopefully not)?

Thx,

Skip Montanaro