showdown/docs/cli.md

Showdown comes bundled with a Command-line interface (CLI) tool that allows you to run Showdown converter from the command line.

Requirements

• Node.js

Quick start guide

1. Check that Showdown CLI is accessible.

   • If you installed Showdown globally via npm install showdown -g, you can access the CLI tool help by typing showdown -h in the command line:

     === "input"

       ```sh
       showdown -h
       ```
     

     === "output"

       ```
       Usage: showdown <command> [options]
     
       CLI to Showdownjs markdown parser v3.0.0-alpha
     
       Options:
         -V, --version       output the version number
         -q, --quiet         Quiet mode. Only print errors
         -m, --mute          Mute mode. Does not print anything
         -h, --help          display help for command
     
       Commands:
         makehtml [options]  Converts markdown into html
         help [command]      display help for command
       ```
     

   • If you installed Showdown locally via npm install showdown, open the folder where Showdown is installed, and type node ./bin/showdown.js -h in the command line:

     === "input"

       ```sh
       node ./bin/showdown.js -h
       ```
     

     === "output"

       ```
       Usage: showdown <command> [options]
     
       CLI to Showdownjs markdown parser v3.0.0-alpha
     
       Options:
         -V, --version       output the version number
         -q, --quiet         Quiet mode. Only print errors
         -m, --mute          Mute mode. Does not print anything
         -h, --help          display help for command
     
       Commands:
         makehtml [options]  Converts markdown into html
         help [command]      display help for command
       ```
     

2. Use makehtml command to convert your document to HTML. For example:

   !!! example "Convert foo.md into bar.html"

    ```sh
    showdown makehtml -i foo.md -o bar.html
    ```
   

Commands

makehtml

Convert a Markdown input into HTML.

Usage

showdown makehtml [options]

Options

-i / --input

• Short format: -i

• Alias: --input

• Description: Input source. Usually a .md file. If omitted or empty, reads from stdin.

• Examples:

  !!! example ""

    ```sh
    // Read from stdin and output to stdout
    showdown makehtml -i
  
    // Read from the foo.md file and output to stdout
    showdown makehtml --input foo.md
    ```
  

-o/--output

• Short format: -o

• Alias: --output

• Description: Output target. Usually a .html file. If omitted or empty, writes to stdout.

• Example:

  !!! example ""

    ```sh
    // Read from the foo.md file and output to bar.html
    showdown makehtml -i foo.md -o bar.html
    ```
  

-a/--append

• Short format: -a

• Alias: --append

• Description: Append data to output instead of overwriting.

• Example:

  !!! example ""

    ```sh
    showdown makehtml -a
    ```
  

-u/--encoding

• Short format: -u

• Alias: --encoding

• Description: Specify the input encoding.

• Example:

  !!! example ""

    ```sh
    showdown makehtml -u UTF8
    ```
  

-e/--extensions

• Short format: -e

• Alias: --extension

• Description: Load the specified extension(s). Should be valid path(s) to Node-compatible extensions.

• Example:

  !!! example ""

    ```sh
    showdown makehtml -e ~/twitter.js -e ~/youtube.js
    ```