How do I convert Markdown to HTML?

Paste your Markdown text into the left pane of the converter. The right pane shows live rendered HTML as you type. Click the Copy HTML button to copy the raw HTML source to your clipboard, or click Copy Rendered to copy the formatted view (preserves bold, italic, lists, tables). The conversion is instant and runs entirely in your browser using the marked.js library — no server roundtrip, no signup, no tracking.

Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004 to make plain-text formatting readable both as source and rendered. It uses simple syntax — hash signs (#) for headings, asterisks (*) for emphasis, backticks for code, hyphens (-) for lists — that compiles to clean HTML. Modern Markdown variants include CommonMark (the standardized spec) and GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM, adds tables, task lists, autolinks). It's the standard format for README files, technical documentation, blog posts, and static site generators (Jekyll, Hugo, Next.js MDX).

Is Markdown better than HTML?

Neither is universally better — they serve different purposes. Markdown is better when humans write text frequently and want readable source: README files, blog posts, comments, notes, documentation. HTML is better when you need fine-grained control over structure and presentation: complex layouts, accessibility attributes, embedded interactivity. Most modern workflows write in Markdown then convert to HTML at publish time, getting the best of both — fast authoring + standards-compliant output for the web.

How does Markdown rendering work?

A Markdown parser reads the source text line by line, recognizing patterns: lines starting with # become headings, lines starting with - become list items, triple backticks open code blocks, pipe characters define table cells, and so on. The parser builds an abstract syntax tree (AST) representing the document structure, then emits HTML element-by-element from that tree. marked.js, the library powering this tool, runs entirely in JavaScript and parses thousands of lines in milliseconds — fast enough for instant live preview as you type.

Can I convert Markdown files online?

Yes — paste the contents of any .md file into this converter and you'll get HTML instantly. The browser-based approach means no file upload, no signup, no server processing. For batch conversion of many files, command-line tools like pandoc (cross-platform) or markdown-it CLI are more efficient. For single-file conversions or quick lookups, this online converter is the fastest option — paste, see preview, copy result.

What is GitHub Flavored Markdown?

GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) is an extension of standard CommonMark that GitHub uses for repository READMEs, issues, pull requests, and gists. GFM adds: tables (pipe syntax with alignment), fenced code blocks with language hints, task lists (- [ ] and - [x]), strikethrough (~~text~~), autolinks (raw URLs become clickable), and disabled raw HTML for certain tags. Most modern Markdown processors enable GFM by default. This converter has GFM on by default — you don't need to configure anything to use tables or task lists.

How do I preview Markdown as HTML?

This converter shows live preview side-by-side: paste Markdown on the left, see rendered HTML on the right, both updating in real time as you type. The preview includes formatting (bold, italic, headings, lists), tables, code blocks with monospace font, blockquotes with left border, and clickable links. For preview in your own editor: VS Code has built-in Markdown preview (Cmd+Shift+V), Obsidian and Typora are dedicated Markdown editors, and GitHub itself renders any .md file in the repo browser.

Can Markdown include HTML?

Yes — Markdown was designed to allow inline HTML for cases the syntax doesn't cover. You can write `<details><summary>Click me</summary>Hidden content</details>` for collapsible sections, `<kbd>Ctrl+C</kbd>` for keyboard keys, `<sup>1</sup>` for footnotes, and any other HTML tag directly in Markdown. The parser passes raw HTML through unchanged. Caveat: many platforms (GitHub, Reddit, Stack Overflow) sanitize allowed tags to a strict whitelist for security — what works in this converter may not work in those platforms.

What is the best Markdown editor?

Depends on your workflow. For developers: VS Code with Markdown All in One extension (free, integrated with code editing). For writers: Obsidian or Typora (note-taking + WYSIWYG-ish preview). For technical writers: iA Writer (focused on prose, distraction-free). For collaborative editing: HackMD or StackEdit (browser-based, real-time co-edit). For static-site authors: any editor that handles plain text — Markdown's whole point is that you can write it in Notepad and it still works.

How accurate are Markdown converters?

Modern Markdown converters are highly accurate for standard syntax. CommonMark spec defines exact behavior for 99% of common patterns. Edge cases that differ between converters: nested lists with mixed indentation (CommonMark vs GFM differ slightly), inline HTML sanitization (some converters strip, others pass through), language tags in fenced code (handled differently for syntax highlighting). marked.js (the engine powering this tool) is CommonMark-compliant with GFM extensions, matching what GitHub renders for the same input. If your output looks wrong on another platform, check that platform's specific dialect.

Can I export the HTML output to a file?

Use the Copy HTML button to copy the raw HTML to your clipboard, then paste into a `.html` file in your editor. Browsers don't allow direct file download from this UI for privacy reasons, but copy-paste covers the same workflow in two clicks. For batch export of many Markdown files, use pandoc (`pandoc input.md -o output.html`) or markdown-it CLI from a terminal. For static site generators (Jekyll, Hugo, Eleventy), the build process automatically converts all .md files in your content directory.

Does this converter support tables?

Yes — GFM tables are enabled by default. Use pipe characters to define columns and hyphens in the header separator row. Alignment: `:-` for left, `-:` for right, `:-:` for center. Example: `| Name | Age | City |\n|:-----|----:|:----:|\n| Alice | 30 | NYC |` renders as a 3-column table with Name left-aligned, Age right-aligned, City centered. Pipes at line start and end are optional but commonly used for readability. Column widths in the source don't need to match — the renderer doesn't care.

What about code blocks and syntax highlighting?

Fenced code blocks (triple backticks) render as `<pre><code>` HTML with an optional `class="language-X"` attribute when you include a language hint after the opening fence. Example: ```javascript becomes `<pre><code class="language-javascript">`. This converter outputs the language class but doesn't apply syntax colors — colors come from a separate library like highlight.js or Prism.js that you add to your published HTML. For inline preview here, code blocks display in monospace without colors; the language tag is preserved so highlighters work when you deploy the HTML.

Is my Markdown text sent to a server?

No — this converter runs 100% in your browser using marked.js, which is loaded from our CDN as a static script. Your Markdown text is never sent to any server, never logged, never stored. The conversion happens in your browser tab and stays there. This is by design for privacy: developers often paste internal documentation, API keys in code samples, or proprietary content. None of that touches our infrastructure. If you check the Network tab in browser DevTools while converting, you'll see zero outbound requests during the conversion itself.

Can I use this for blog posts and CMS?

Yes — paste your Markdown blog draft into the left pane and copy the HTML output to paste into your CMS rich text editor (WordPress, Ghost, Medium, Substack). Most CMS platforms accept HTML in the source code view but display in WYSIWYG normally. For static site generators (Jekyll, Hugo, Eleventy, Next.js, Astro, Gatsby), you typically commit the `.md` file directly and the build process converts to HTML — no manual conversion needed. This tool is most useful for one-off conversions or when migrating content between platforms with different Markdown dialects.

What's the difference between CommonMark, GFM, and Markdown?

Markdown (original, 2004): John Gruber's loose spec with many ambiguous edge cases. CommonMark (2014): standardized, unambiguous spec that defines exact parser behavior. GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM, 2017+): CommonMark + GitHub's extensions (tables, task lists, autolinks, strikethrough, raw HTML restrictions). Most modern tools speak CommonMark + GFM by default. This converter does the same. Older or platform-specific dialects (Reddit, Stack Overflow, MultiMarkdown) may differ in edge cases — when in doubt, write to the lowest common denominator: CommonMark.

How do I write nested lists in Markdown?

Indent the nested item with 2 spaces (CommonMark) or 4 spaces (some older parsers). Example: `- Parent\n - Child` produces a parent item with a nested child. For ordered lists nested in unordered: `- Parent\n 1. Child` works in CommonMark and GFM. Mixing list types is fine. Three-level nesting works the same way — keep indenting by 2 spaces per level. Tab characters also work but mixing tabs and spaces in the same list causes inconsistent rendering across parsers; stick to spaces.

Can I use this converter offline?

Once the page is loaded, yes — the conversion happens client-side without any server calls. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and continue converting Markdown. For permanent offline use, save the page locally (browser File → Save Page) or use a dedicated desktop editor like Typora, Mark Text, or Obsidian. Note that the marked.js library is loaded from our CDN on first page load; if you want fully offline use without the initial CDN dependency, install a local markdown editor.

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Markdown to HTML Converter

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shield 100% Private — Markdown is rendered in your browser. Text never leaves this tab.

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•GFM on by default — tables, task lists, strikethrough work without setup
•Triple-backtick fenced code blocks with language tag enable highlighting
•Heading IDs auto-generated — useful for in-page anchor links
•100% client-side — your Markdown never leaves the browser
•Sanitize output with DOMPurify before publishing untrusted Markdown

Markdown to HTML Converter

Markdown to HTML calculator

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