Guide · Open source
How to use markdown-it: install and render Markdown in JavaScript
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
markdown-it is a Markdown parser for JavaScript and TypeScript projects. It converts Markdown text into HTML and follows the CommonMark standard. This guide shows you how to install it with npm, render a string of Markdown, and where to look for plugins and further options.
markdown-itmarkdown-it/markdown-it · ★ 22k · MIT Install options & downloads Quick start
- 1Check Node.js. Make sure Node.js is installed, since the README lists it as the prerequisite for npm installation.
- 2Install the package. Run npm install markdown-it in your project folder.
- 3Import the library. Add import MarkdownIt from 'markdown-it' to your script.
- 4Create an instance. Call new MarkdownIt() to make a parser with default settings.
- 5Render your text. Pass a Markdown string to md.render() and use the returned HTML.
- 6Explore plugins. Search npm for markdown-it plugins if you need extra syntax.
What markdown-it does
markdown-it is a library, not an app. You give it Markdown text and it returns HTML that you can place on a web page or use inside a Node.js or browser project.
It follows the CommonMark spec for how Markdown should be read. It also adds extras such as URL autolinking and a typographer option.
- Follows the CommonMark spec and adds syntax extensions such as URL autolinking and typographer.
- Configurable: you can add new rules and replace existing ones.
- Safe by default, according to the README.
- Community plugins and other packages are available on npm.
Install markdown-it with npm
The README lists Node.js as the prerequisite and shows installation through npm. Run this command in your project folder:
npm install markdown-itRender Markdown to HTML
Import the library, create an instance, and call render with your Markdown string. The method returns the HTML as a string.
import MarkdownIt from 'markdown-it'
const md = new MarkdownIt()
const result = md.render('# markdown-it rulezz!')Use markdown-it in the browser
The README says that for browsers you can use a CDN that mirrors the npm registry, such as unpkg.com, esm.sh, or another CDN. You can look at the contents of the dist/ folder at unpkg.com/markdown-it/ to see what is available.
Extend markdown-it with plugins and custom rules
You can add new parsing rules or replace existing ones. Community-written plugins are published on npm, and the README links to a keyword search for markdown-it plugins.
For more examples and the full API, read the documentation and the usage examples linked from the README.
- Browse npm for packages tagged markdown-it-plugin.
- Read the documentation at markdown-it.github.io.
- See docs/usage.md in the repository for more usage examples.
What people use it for
- Showing formatted README-style text on a documentation page in a website.
- Rendering user-written notes or comments as HTML inside a Node.js app.
- Converting Markdown content in a browser app without a build step, using a CDN build.
- Adding custom Markdown syntax to a project through plugins.
Frequently asked questions
Is markdown-it free to use?
markdown-it is released under the MIT licence, as stated in the project's listing. Check the LICENSE file in the repository for the full terms.
What do I need to install markdown-it?
The README lists Node.js as the prerequisite and shows installation with npm install markdown-it. The README only shows npm usage.
How do I install markdown-it?
Run npm install markdown-it in your project folder. The README gives this as the installation command for Node.js.
Can I use markdown-it in the browser?
The README says you can use a CDN such as unpkg.com or esm.sh in the browser, since these mirror the npm registry.
What are alternatives to markdown-it?
Comparable projects named in the source are marked, remark, and showdown. Choose based on the features and syntax rules your project needs.
Is markdown-it a graphical editor?
No. The README describes a code library, not an editor or app, so you need to write code to use it.
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Our verdict
markdown-it suits JavaScript or TypeScript developers who need to render CommonMark-compliant Markdown in Node.js or browser projects, especially if they want to add custom syntax through plugins. If you only want to write Markdown documents or need a graphical tool, or your project does not use JavaScript, pick a different tool.
Install options & downloads