Why convert HTML to Markdown?
- Migrate content — move pages from an old CMS into a Markdown-based site or wiki.
- Save articles as notes — store web content in Obsidian or Logseq.
- Clean up — Markdown removes presentational clutter and keeps only the structure.
How the conversion works
The HTML is parsed without a browser DOM and walked element by element. Each element is written in its Markdown form, and characters that would be misread as Markdown syntax are escaped.
What is an HTML file?
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the language of web pages. An HTML file is plain text with tags such as <h1> for headings, <p> for paragraphs and <img> for pictures. Any web browser can open it, on any operating system, without extra software.
HTML is a convenient format for reading and sharing documents: it keeps headings, lists, tables, links and emphasis, and a single file can even carry its images embedded inside it.
What is a Markdown file?
Markdown (.md) is a lightweight way to write formatted text using plain characters: # Heading, **bold**, *italic*, - list item and so on. It stays readable as raw text, yet converts cleanly to HTML.
Markdown is used everywhere from GitHub README files and documentation sites to note-taking apps such as Obsidian, Notion exports and many static site generators.