1 creditMarkdown to PDF API — from .md to shareable PDF
READMEs, release notes and runbooks — styled PDFs in one call.
Markdown to PDF converts a .md file into a styled, shareable PDF in one REST call. Headings, nested lists, pipe tables, fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting and images all survive the conversion, and YAML front matter is stripped automatically. No pandoc, LaTeX toolchain or headless browser install is required — rendering happens server-side and costs one credit.
How does the Markdown to PDF API work?
One HTTP request from any language. Every ASHDOCS endpoint uses the same X-API-Key header.
curl -X POST https://www.ashdocs.com/api/v1/tools/markdown-to-pdf \
-H "X-API-Key: ash_live_..." \
-F "files=@release-notes.md" \
-F 'options={"format":"A4"}'How do I use Markdown to PDF API in Make, Zapier or n8n?
Add an HTTP "Make a request" module, attach the .md file, and turn off Parse response so the PDF binary arrives intact.
Make setup guide →Use Webhooks by Zapier with a POST action — a "new file in Google Drive → convert → email the PDF" flow needs no code at all.
Zapier setup guide →Use the HTTP Request node with Response Format set to File and map the binary response to your storage step.
n8n setup guide →Trigger on a record with a Markdown attachment, convert it, and write the PDF back to an attachment field.
Airtable setup guide →Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Long tables or code blocks split awkwardly across pages | Markdown has no concept of pages | page-break-inside: avoid is applied to tables and code blocks by default; restructure very long blocks that exceed a full page. |
| Code lines run off the page edge | PDFs cannot scroll horizontally | Long lines are wrapped automatically; shorten lines in source for the cleanest output. |
| YAML front matter prints as raw text | The metadata block was passed through as body content | ASHDOCS strips leading YAML front matter automatically — no action needed. |
| Images are missing from the PDF | Relative paths like ./img/diagram.png resolve on your machine, not on a server | Inline images as data URIs or reference them by absolute public URL. |
Common use cases
- →Release notes as shareable PDFs
- →Internal runbooks and documentation exports
- →LLM-generated Markdown to client-ready documents
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert Markdown to PDF without installing anything?+
Yes — send the file to the endpoint via curl or any HTTP client. No pandoc, LaTeX or headless browser install is needed; the rendering happens server-side.
Does the conversion keep code syntax highlighting?+
Yes. Fenced code blocks are rendered with highlighting before printing, so the PDF shows what your editor shows.
How do tables come out?+
Standard pipe tables render as proper bordered tables. Very wide tables should be restructured — a PDF page is narrower than a browser window.
Is there a free tier?+
Yes — 100 credits per month, no card required, and sandbox keys never consume credits.