About the Markdown to HTML Converter
Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It uses plain-text characters — hashes for headings, asterisks for emphasis, dashes for lists — to express formatting that a converter turns into HTML. The aim was to write structured text that remains readable as plain text and converts to valid HTML automatically, so authors could focus on content without writing tags by hand.
This tool takes Markdown input and renders the equivalent HTML live, side by side. It supports the standard CommonMark feature set: headings (1–6), bold and italic emphasis, ordered and unordered lists, blockquotes, fenced code blocks with language hints, inline code, links, images, tables, and horizontal rules.
Why Markdown won
Plain HTML is verbose and tag-heavy. Rich text editors hide the structure but produce unpredictable HTML and break when copied between tools. Markdown sits between the two: a readable shorthand that converts deterministically to clean HTML. That combination made it the format of choice for GitHub READMEs, Reddit comments, Discord messages, Substack and Ghost posts, and most static site generators (Hugo, Jekyll, Astro, Next.js MDX). Once you learn the small core syntax it stays out of your way.
CommonMark and the flavours of Markdown
Markdown is not a single standard; several "flavours" exist. CommonMark is the most widely supported common subset, and is what this tool implements. GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) adds task lists, strikethrough, autolinks, and tables. MultiMarkdown adds footnotes and citations. Most authoring tools accept the CommonMark core; differences appear at the edges. When in doubt, use the core syntax — it works everywhere.
How to use the Markdown to HTML Converter
Type or paste Markdown on the left
The left pane is the source. The HTML preview updates instantly as you type.
Preview on the right
The right pane renders the HTML using the standard CommonMark rules.
Copy the HTML
Click the copy button beneath the preview to grab the rendered HTML for use elsewhere — a CMS field, an email template, or a static site.
Worked examples
Example 1
Input: # Hello\n\n**World**
Result: <h1>Hello</h1>\n<p><strong>World</strong></p>
A heading followed by a paragraph with bold emphasis.
Example 2
Input: - Item one\n- Item two
Result: <ul><li>Item one</li><li>Item two</li></ul>
Unordered list with two items.
Example 3
Input: [ToolBox](https://orbit-apps.org)
Result: <a href="https://orbit-apps.org">ToolBox</a>
A standard link — label in brackets, URL in parentheses.
Real-world use cases
- Drafting README and CONTRIBUTING files for open-source repositories.
- Writing blog posts that will be deployed through a static site generator.
- Converting Markdown notes from Obsidian, Bear, or Joplin into HTML for a website.
- Producing structured email templates without hand-writing every tag.
- Learning HTML by seeing the equivalent output of familiar Markdown.
Tips & common mistakes
- Two spaces at the end of a line force a line break inside a paragraph. A blank line starts a new paragraph.
- Indent code with four spaces or wrap it in triple backticks for fenced code blocks. The latter supports language hints for syntax highlighting in many renderers.
- Tables require a separator row of dashes between the header and the body. Without it, the table will render as plain text.
- Hard-wrap long lines in your source if you want — Markdown collapses single line breaks inside a paragraph automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Which flavour of Markdown does this tool use?
It follows the CommonMark specification, the most widely supported common subset. Constructs unique to GitHub Flavored Markdown (task lists, strikethrough, autolinking bare URLs) may not render identically.
Is the HTML output safe to paste into my CMS?
Yes for trusted input. The output uses standard HTML tags only. If you are converting Markdown supplied by third parties, sanitise the resulting HTML in your CMS to prevent XSS via raw <script> or attribute injection.
Can I see how a specific syntax renders?
Yes — just type the syntax in the left panel. The preview updates as you type so you can experiment without affecting any saved file.
Does it support images?
Yes. The syntax is . The HTML output uses a standard <img> tag with the alt attribute populated.
Related tools
Last updated: June 2026 · All processing happens locally in your browser.