What is Markdown?
Markdown is a lightweight markup language for creating formatted text using a plain-text editor. It's widely used for README files, documentation, blog posts, and comments. This tool converts Markdown syntax (headings, bold, links, code blocks, lists) into clean, semantic HTML.
From Markdown to HTML
Markdown is a lightweight syntax for writing formatted text using plain characters — # for headings, * for emphasis, and - for lists — that converts cleanly into HTML. It lets you write content quickly without tags and then render it as a web page. This tool converts your Markdown to HTML instantly and previews the result.
Because Markdown maps directly onto HTML elements, a heading line becomes an <h1>, a bulleted list becomes a <ul>, and a fenced code block becomes a <pre><code> block, ready to drop into a site or email.
Where Markdown is used
Markdown powers README files, documentation, static site generators, forum and chat messages, and note-taking apps. Converting to HTML is the step that turns that easy-to-write source into something a browser can display, which is useful when a system accepts HTML but you would rather author in Markdown.
Flavors of Markdown
Markdown has several dialects. The original spec is minimal, while GitHub Flavored Markdown adds tables, task lists, strikethrough, and fenced code with syntax highlighting. Most tools, including this one, support the common GitHub-flavored features that documentation and README files rely on.
How to convert Markdown to HTML
- 1Write or paste Markdown. Enter Markdown text — headings, lists, links, code, and emphasis are all supported.
- 2Switch between HTML and Preview. The HTML updates as you type. Convert shows the markup, Preview renders it.
- 3Copy the HTML. Copy the generated markup into your website, email, or CMS.
Examples
Heading and emphasis
Input
# Title Some **bold** text.
Output
<h1>Title</h1> <p>Some <strong>bold</strong> text.</p>
A bulleted list
Input
- One - Two
Output
<ul> <li>One</li> <li>Two</li> </ul>
A link
Input
[DevToolbox](https://dev-toolbox.io)
Output
<p><a href="https://dev-toolbox.io">DevToolbox</a></p>
Markdown syntax
Common Markdown and the HTML it produces.
| Markdown | HTML |
|---|---|
| # Heading | <h1> |
| **bold** | <strong> |
| *italic* | <em> |
| - item | <ul><li> |
| [text](url) | <a href> |
| `code` | <code> |
| > quote | <blockquote> |
| ~~strike~~ | <del> |
|  | <img src alt> |
| | a | b | | <table> |
| - [x] task | <input type="checkbox"> |
Frequently asked questions
Which Markdown features are supported?
CommonMark plus GitHub Flavored Markdown: headings (both # and underlined), bold and italic, nested ordered and unordered lists, links and bare URLs, images, inline code and fenced code blocks, blockquotes, horizontal rules, tables, task lists, and strikethrough.
Can I preview the result?
Yes. Preview renders the generated HTML so you can see the formatted output alongside the source.
Does it support tables and code blocks?
Yes. Fenced code blocks convert to <pre><code>, and pipe tables convert to HTML <table> markup.
Is the HTML safe to publish?
The output is standard HTML you can drop into a page. As always, sanitise HTML from untrusted authors before displaying it on a live site.
Is my text private?
Yes. Conversion happens in your browser. The only exception is the Share link button, which uploads the current output when you click it.
Is it free?
Yes — free and unlimited.
Can I use raw HTML inside Markdown?
Yes. Markdown lets you drop in raw HTML for anything its syntax does not cover, and that HTML passes through to the HTML output unchanged. The Preview is sanitised before it is rendered, so scripts and event handlers in your Markdown are stripped from the preview but kept in the output you copy.