HTML to Markdown
A PHP library that converts HTML to Markdown with configurable options for clean, editable output.
What is HTML to Markdown?
HTML To Markdown for PHP is a library that converts HTML documents into Markdown format, enabling developers to transform web content into a lightweight, editable markup language. It solves the problem of needing to edit or store HTML content as Markdown for better readability and version control. The tool is highly configurable, allowing customization of output styles and handling of specific HTML elements.
PHP developers working with content management systems, static site generators, or applications that require converting HTML to Markdown for editing, storage, or plain-text output.
Developers choose this library for its reliability, extensive configuration options, and seamless integration into PHP projects via Composer. It stands out by offering fine-grained control over conversion behavior, including security features for untrusted input, making it a versatile tool for diverse HTML-to-Markdown use cases.
Overview
Convert HTML to Markdown with PHP
Use Cases
Best For
- Converting existing HTML documents to Markdown for easier editing
- Integrating HTML-to-Markdown conversion into PHP-based CMS or blogging platforms
- Processing HTML email content into plain text or Markdown format
- Migrating HTML content to static site generators like Jekyll or Hugo
- Handling user-generated HTML input by converting it to safer Markdown
- Customizing Markdown output styles (e.g., bold/italic syntax, header formats)
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring conversion to Markdown Extra or MultiMarkdown syntax
- Applications needing to preserve all HTML attributes (e.g., inline styles) in the output
- Systems handling complex nested structures like lists inside blockquotes
- High-performance services needing real-time HTML-to-Markdown conversion at scale
Pros & Cons
Pros
Allows customization of bold/italic syntax, header styles (Setext vs ATX), and line break handling, as shown in the style options section for tailored Markdown generation.
Includes configurable strip_tags and remove_nodes to safely handle untrusted HTML input, with explicit warnings in the README advising additional filtering via libraries like HTML Purifier.
Supports adding custom converters, such as the optional TableConverter for HTML tables, enabling specialized element handling through a customizable Environment object.
Converts standard elements like headings, links, and images to clean Markdown, with options to preserve comments and strip placeholder links for precise control.
Cons
Only supports basic Markdown syntax, not extensions like Markdown Extra or MultiMarkdown, restricting its use in projects requiring advanced formatting features.
Lacks support for nested lists and lists within blockquotes, as acknowledged in the to-do list, making it unsuitable for complex HTML documents without manual workarounds.
Features like table conversion require explicit addition of converters (e.g., TableConverter), adding setup complexity compared to libraries with built-in support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
ParsedownBetter Markdown Parser in PHP
turndown🛏 An HTML to Markdown converter written in JavaScript
PHP MarkdownParser for Markdown and Markdown Extra derived from the original Markdown.pl by John Gruber.
CommonMark PHPHighly-extensible PHP Markdown parser which fully supports the CommonMark and GFM specs.
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