Markdown Guide – Syntax & Examples

Learn Markdown syntax and how to convert Markdown to HTML. All examples work with our free converter.

What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It lets you write formatted text using plain text syntax — easy to read and write. Markdown is widely used for documentation, README files, blog posts, and notes.

Why Convert Markdown to HTML?

HTML is the language of the web. Converting Markdown to HTML lets you:

  • Publish to the web — blogs, websites, documentation
  • Create email content — rich, formatted emails
  • Integrate with CMS — WordPress, Drupal, or any system that accepts HTML
  • Build static sites — Jekyll, Hugo, Astro, and more

Use Cases

  • Web publishing — Write content in Markdown, convert to HTML for your site
  • Email templates — Create formatted email content that works across clients
  • Documentation — Generate clean, semantic HTML for technical docs
  • AI content — Format output from ChatGPT, Claude, or other AI tools
  • GitHub README — Preview how your README will render on GitHub

Basic Syntax

Headings

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
#### Heading 4

Text formatting

**bold** and *italic*
~~strikethrough~~

Links and images

[link text](https://example.com)
![alt text](image-url.jpg)

Lists

- Unordered item
1. Ordered item
- [x] Task list done
- [ ] Task list todo

Code

`inline code`
```javascript
// code block
const x = 1;
```

Tables (GitHub Flavored Markdown)

| Col 1 | Col 2 |
|-------|-------|
| A     | B     |

Blockquotes

> This is a blockquote
> It can span multiple lines

How to Use Our Converter

  1. Paste your Markdown in the input panel or upload .md files
  2. Choose output format: HTML or Plain Text
  3. Click Convert to see the result
  4. Copy or download your converted output

Try the Markdown converter →