Markdown → HTML · Browser · No upload
Convert Markdown to HTML online
Updated: May 2026
Markdown and HTML are both used to structure content, but they serve different purposes. Markdown is written by humans for readability; HTML is parsed by browsers. This guide explains when and how to convert Markdown to HTML, with a free browser-based tool that requires no signup and handles no file upload.
Free · No upload · Conversion in your browser
Markdown vs HTML: what is the difference
Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It is designed to be readable as plain text while converting cleanly to HTML. A heading written as # Title in Markdown becomes <h1>Title</h1> in HTML.
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the native language of the web. Every page you visit in a browser is ultimately rendered from HTML. It gives you precise control over structure and semantics but is verbose to write by hand.
The most common reasons to convert Markdown to HTML:
- Publishing blog posts or documentation written in Markdown to a website.
- Generating email templates from Markdown drafts.
- Integrating README content into a web interface.
- Pre-rendering Markdown for static site generators.
- Sending formatted content to a CMS that accepts HTML.
Markdown syntax and its HTML equivalent
Each Markdown element maps to a specific HTML tag. Here are the most common conversions:
# Heading 1 → <h1>Heading 1</h1>
## Heading 2 → <h2>Heading 2</h2>
**bold** → <strong>bold</strong>
*italic* → <em>italic</em>
~~strike~~ → <del>strike</del>
`code` → <code>code</code>
[text](url) → <a href="url">text</a>
 → <img src="src" alt="alt">
--- → <hr>Block elements like paragraphs, lists and blockquotes follow the same logic. A blank line between text creates a paragraph break (<p>). A dash list becomes an unordered list (<ul><li>…</li></ul>).
GitHub Flavored Markdown extensions
Beyond the CommonMark standard, GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) adds useful extensions widely adopted by developers:
- Tables: pipe-separated columns with alignment using colons in the separator row.
- Task lists:
- [ ]for unchecked items,- [x]for checked. - Strikethrough:
~~text~~renders as<del>text</del>. - Fenced code blocks: triple backtick blocks with optional language identifier for syntax hints.
How to convert with Flowfiles
- Open the Markdown to HTML tool.
- Select the mode: MD → Preview for visual rendering or MD → HTML for source code.
- Paste your Markdown or upload a .md file.
- The conversion runs automatically (or click Convert).
- Copy the HTML or download the .html file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Markdown and HTML?
Markdown is a lightweight human-readable markup language. HTML is the language browsers render. Markdown is converted to HTML to display formatted content on the web.
Is Markdown-to-HTML conversion free?
Yes. Flowfiles converts Markdown to HTML for free with no signup or file upload required.
Which Markdown syntax is supported?
CommonMark syntax plus GFM extensions: tables, task lists, strikethrough, fenced code blocks and setext headings.
Can I download the HTML output?
Yes. Click Download to save the output as a .html file directly from the tool.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the page is loaded the converter runs entirely in your browser without any network request.