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Pandoc

Pandoc

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Verified working Sep 18, 2026

A command-line converter spanning Markdown, Word, HTML, PDF, and more.

Pandoc is a free, open-source document conversion tool for moving content among markup, word processor, ebook, slide, notebook, bibliography, and publishing formats. It is especially strong for Markdown-centered workflows, with support for citations, math, templates, filters, custom readers/writers, and use as either a command-line program or Haskell library.

Why it stands out

  • Exceptionally broad format coverage compared with single-purpose Markdown or PDF converters.
  • Citation and bibliography processing works across output formats, not just academic PDFs.
  • Extensible through Lua filters, templates, and custom readers/writers for specialized publishing pipelines.
  • Can be used both interactively from the command line and programmatically as a Haskell library.
  • Allows strict Markdown compatibility or richer Markdown extensions depending on the workflow.

Good to know

  • Many supported formats are one-way only, so not every source/output pairing is reversible.
  • PDF generation depends on external tools such as LaTeX engines, wkhtmltopdf, WeasyPrint, Prince, or similar.
  • Advanced customization often requires comfort with command-line workflows, templates, Lua, or Haskell.

Under the radar: If you need plain Markdown compatibility for another tool, check Pandoc’s Markdown extension controls rather than assuming its default Markdown output is the strict baseline.

Photos

Illustration for Pandoc