markdown-it
A fast Markdown parser for JavaScript that follows the CommonMark spec and can be extended with plugins.
- Stars
- 22k
- Forks
- 1.8k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 13 days ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
markdown-it is a JavaScript library that converts Markdown text (the lightweight formatting syntax used in READMEs and notes) into HTML. It follows the CommonMark standard for how Markdown should be read, and adds some extras such as URL autolinking and a typographer option. Developers use it when they need to show formatted text on a website or inside a Node.js or browser app.
- Render user-written comments or posts from Markdown into HTML on a website
- Convert Markdown documentation into HTML pages during a build step
- Add custom syntax to Markdown through a plugin from the npm registry
- Load the library from a CDN in the browser to render Markdown client-side
Great for
- JavaScript or TypeScript developers who need to render Markdown in a Node.js or browser project
- Teams that want output that matches the CommonMark standard
- Projects that need custom Markdown syntax added through plugins
- Developers who want to replace or add parsing rules
Not ideal for
- Non-programmers who only want to write Markdown documents; the README describes a code library, not an editor or app
- Projects that do not use JavaScript, since the README only shows npm installation and usage
- Anyone who needs a graphical tool; the README does not describe one
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js
Install from npm (Node.js)
npm install markdown-it - 2
Run it
- Install the package with npm install markdown-it
- Import it in your code with import MarkdownIt from 'markdown-it'
- Create an instance with const md = new MarkdownIt()
- Call md.render() with a Markdown string to get HTML back
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the migration guide if you are upgrading to v15
- Browse the community plugins on npm tagged markdown-it-plugin to add syntax
- Use the More usage examples page linked in the README (docs/usage.md)
- Use the live demo on the project homepage to test output before integrating
Downloads
Strengths
- Follows the CommonMark spec, which the README describes as 100% supported
- Configurable: you can add new parsing rules or replace existing ones
- Safe by default, according to the README
Trade-offs
- The README is short on details about specific features; the full documentation lives on an external site
- Upgrading to v15 involves a migration guide, so version changes may require work
- Plugin quality varies, since plugins are community-written packages on npm
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| markdown-it (this) | 22k | Library | intermediate | 13 days ago | JavaScript or TypeScript developers who need to render Markdown in a Node.js or browser project |
| remark | 13k | Library | beginner | 2.4 years ago | People comfortable with HTML and CSS who want slides written in Markdown |
| showdown | 14.9k | Library | beginner | 8 days ago | JavaScript developers adding Markdown rendering to a web page |
| tui.editor | 18k | Library | intermediate | 2.3 years ago | Web developers who want an embeddable Markdown editor in their own site or app |
| react-markdown | 15.9k | Library | beginner | 1 months ago | React developers who need to display Markdown content such as comments, docs, or posts |
| turndown | 11.5k | Library | beginner | 19 days ago | Developers who need to convert HTML content, such as web pages or rich text editor output, into Markdown |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.