In this article, I have covered how to convert Markdown to HTML in command-line using Node.js command.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Installation Steps
- Basic Usage
- Using Options
- Using Plugins
- Examples
- Citations and References
- Conclusive Summary
Introduction
Converting Markdown to HTML in the command-line is a frequent task for developers and content creators. The NPM package Showdown is a robust tool that makes this process straightforward. This tutorial will guide you through the steps of installing and using Showdown to convert Markdown to HTML directly from your command-line environment.
Installation Steps
First, ensure that Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) are installed on your machine. Then run the following command to install Showdown:
npm install -g showdown
This will install Showdown globally on your system, allowing you to use it in any directory via the command-line.
Basic Usage
To convert a Markdown file to HTML using Showdown, use the following command:
showdown makehtml -i input.md -o output.html
makehtml: This is a subcommand of Showdown used to specify that you want to convert Markdown to HTML.-i input.md: This part of the command specifies the input file (-istands for input). In this example, it’s set toinput.md, which is assumed to be your Markdown file. You can replaceinput.mdwith the actual path or filename of your Markdown file.-o output.html: This part of the command specifies the output file (-ostands for output). In this example, it’s set tooutput.html, which is assumed to be the desired name for your HTML file. You can replaceoutput.htmlwith the desired path or filename for your HTML output.
Replace input.md with your markdown file and output.html with the desired output HTML file name.
Using Options
Showdown provides various options to customize the conversion process. For instance, to enable GitHub flavored markdown, use the --flavor option:
showdown makehtml --flavor github -i input.md -o output.html
Visit the Showdown GitHub repository to see a full list of options available for customization.
To enable the conversion of tables and strikethrough text
showdown makehtml -i example.md -o example.html --tables --strikethrough
Citations and References
- Showdown GitHub Repository: https://github.com/showdownjs/showdown
- Node.js: https://nodejs.org
- NPM Documentation: https://docs.npmjs.com/
Conclusive Summary
In a nutshell, turning your Markdown into HTML through the command line is super easy with the Showdown npm package. This guide walked you through installing Showdown, using it for basic conversion, tweaking the process with options, and even adding plugins. With the help of simple examples, you should now feel comfortable transforming your Markdown files into HTML effortlessly.
