---
name: "Markdown.pl"
section: "1p"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-text-markdown"
version: "1.000031-17"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Markdown.pl"
---

# Markdown.pl(1p)

Convert Markdown syntax to (X)HTML

## NAME

Markdown.pl - Convert Markdown syntax to (X)HTML

## DESCRIPTION

This program is distributed as part of Perl's Text::Markdown module, illustrating sample usage.

Markdown can be invoked on any file containing Markdown-syntax, and will produce the corresponding (X)HTML on STDOUT:

```
    $ cat file.txt
    This is a *test*.
    Absolutely _nothing_ to see here. _Just a **test**_!
    * test
    * Yup, test.
    $ Markdown.pl file.txt
    <p>This is a <em>test</em>.</p>
    <p>Absolutely <em>nothing</em> to see here. <em>Just a <strong>test</strong></em>!</p>
    <ul>
    <li>test</li>
    <li>Yup, test.</li>
    </ul>
```

If no file is specified, it will expect its input from STDIN:

```
    $ echo "A **simple** test" | markdown
    <p>A <strong>simple</strong> test</p>
```

## OPTIONS

- version

  Shows the full information for this version

- shortversion

  Shows only the version number

- html4tags

  Produce HTML 4-style tags instead of XHTML - XHTML requires elements that do not wrap a block (i.e. the `"hr"` tag) to state they will not be closed, by closing with `"/>"`. HTML 4-style will plainly output the tag as it comes:

  ```
      $ echo '---' | markdown
      <hr />
      $ echo '---' | markdown --html4tags
      <hr>
  ```

- help

  Shows this documentation

## AUTHOR

Copyright 2004 John Gruber

Copyright 2008 Tomas Doran

The manpage was written by Gunnar Wolf \<gwolf@debian.org\> for its use in Debian systems, but can be freely used elsewhere.

For full licensing information, please refer to Text::Markdown.pm's full documentation.

## SEE ALSO

Text::Markdown, \<http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/\>