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URL to Markdown

Copy for LLM
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View as Markdown
Use attr with markdown to serialize any URL as Markdown. This is the direct recipe for LLM ingestion, RAG pipelines, docs imports, and any workflow that should not carry raw HTML.

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://stripe.com/docs/api' URL with 'data' & 'meta' API parameters:

CLI Microlink API example

microlink https://stripe.com/docs/api&data.markdown.attr=markdown

cURL Microlink API example

curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://stripe.com/docs/api" \
  -d "data.markdown.attr=markdown" \
  -d "meta=false"

JavaScript Microlink API example

import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://stripe.com/docs/api', {
  data: {
    markdown: {
      attr: "markdown"
    }
  },
  meta: false
})

Python Microlink API example

import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://stripe.com/docs/api",
    "data.markdown.attr": "markdown",
    "meta": "false"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())

Ruby Microlink API example

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://stripe.com/docs/api",
  data.markdown.attr: "markdown",
  meta: "false"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body

PHP Microlink API example

<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://stripe.com/docs/api",
    "data.markdown.attr" => "markdown",
    "meta" => "false"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}

Golang Microlink API example

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://stripe.com/docs/api")
    q.Set("data.markdown.attr", "markdown")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
Read the converted page from data.markdown.

Any source URL works the same way

Point url at a web page, a PDF file, or an office document. Microlink converts a PDF or docx/xlsx/pptx file to an HTML DOM at fetch time, so the same attr: 'markdown' request turns it into readable Markdown:

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx' URL with 'data' & 'meta' API parameters:

CLI Microlink API example

microlink https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx&data.markdown.attr=markdown

cURL Microlink API example

curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx" \
  -d "data.markdown.attr=markdown" \
  -d "meta=false"

JavaScript Microlink API example

import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx', {
  data: {
    markdown: {
      attr: "markdown"
    }
  },
  meta: false
})

Python Microlink API example

import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx",
    "data.markdown.attr": "markdown",
    "meta": "false"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())

Ruby Microlink API example

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx",
  data.markdown.attr: "markdown",
  meta: "false"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body

PHP Microlink API example

<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx",
    "data.markdown.attr" => "markdown",
    "meta" => "false"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}

Golang Microlink API example

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://cdn.microlink.io/file-examples/sample.docx")
    q.Set("data.markdown.attr", "markdown")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
Swap the URL for a .pdf, .xlsx, or .pptx file and the request is identical.

Return markdown directly

Add embed with markdown when the API URL should return Markdown instead of JSON:

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://stripe.com/docs/api' URL with 'data', 'meta' & 'embed' API parameters:

CLI Microlink API example

microlink https://stripe.com/docs/api&data.markdown.attr=markdown&embed=markdown

cURL Microlink API example

curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://stripe.com/docs/api" \
  -d "data.markdown.attr=markdown" \
  -d "meta=false" \
  -d "embed=markdown"

JavaScript Microlink API example

import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://stripe.com/docs/api', {
  data: {
    markdown: {
      attr: "markdown"
    }
  },
  meta: false,
  embed: "markdown"
})

Python Microlink API example

import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://stripe.com/docs/api",
    "data.markdown.attr": "markdown",
    "meta": "false",
    "embed": "markdown"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())

Ruby Microlink API example

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://stripe.com/docs/api",
  data.markdown.attr: "markdown",
  meta: "false",
  embed: "markdown"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body

PHP Microlink API example

<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://stripe.com/docs/api",
    "data.markdown.attr" => "markdown",
    "meta" => "false",
    "embed" => "markdown"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}

Golang Microlink API example

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://stripe.com/docs/api")
    q.Set("data.markdown.attr", "markdown")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    q.Set("embed", "markdown")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
The response body is Markdown and the content type is text/markdown.
The same request as a raw URL:
https://api.microlink.io?url=https://stripe.com/docs/api&data.markdown.attr=markdown&meta=false&embed=markdown

Scope noisy pages

If the full page includes navigation, footers, or cookie banners, scope the rule to the main content wrapper:

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview' URL with 'data', 'meta' & 'embed' API parameters:

CLI Microlink API example

microlink https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview&data.markdown.selector=main&data.markdown.attr=markdown&embed=markdown

cURL Microlink API example

curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview" \
  -d "data.markdown.selector=main" \
  -d "data.markdown.attr=markdown" \
  -d "meta=false" \
  -d "embed=markdown"

JavaScript Microlink API example

import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview', {
  data: {
    markdown: {
      selector: "main",
      attr: "markdown"
    }
  },
  meta: false,
  embed: "markdown"
})

Python Microlink API example

import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview",
    "data.markdown.selector": "main",
    "data.markdown.attr": "markdown",
    "meta": "false",
    "embed": "markdown"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())

Ruby Microlink API example

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview",
  data.markdown.selector: "main",
  data.markdown.attr: "markdown",
  meta: "false",
  embed: "markdown"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body

PHP Microlink API example

<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview",
    "data.markdown.selector" => "main",
    "data.markdown.attr" => "markdown",
    "meta" => "false",
    "embed" => "markdown"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}

Golang Microlink API example

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview")
    q.Set("data.markdown.selector", "main")
    q.Set("data.markdown.attr", "markdown")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    q.Set("embed", "markdown")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
Use main, article, or a page-specific selector when the full page is too noisy.

Keep metadata when useful

For LLM and indexing workflows, setting meta to true prepends YAML frontmatter with normalized fields such as title, description, author, publisher, date, word count, and reading time. Keep meta: false when you only want the Markdown body.

Youtube videos

Point url at a YouTube video URL — watch, youtu.be, shorts, or embed — and Microlink returns the video's caption transcript as the Markdown body, with title, author, image, and date resolved from the video metadata.

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q' URL with 'data' & 'meta' API parameters:

CLI Microlink API example

microlink https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q&data.transcript.attr=markdown

cURL Microlink API example

curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q" \
  -d "data.transcript.attr=markdown" \
  -d "meta=false"

JavaScript Microlink API example

import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q', {
  data: {
    transcript: {
      attr: "markdown"
    }
  },
  meta: false
})

Python Microlink API example

import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q",
    "data.transcript.attr": "markdown",
    "meta": "false"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())

Ruby Microlink API example

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q",
  data.transcript.attr: "markdown",
  meta: "false"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body

PHP Microlink API example

<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q",
    "data.transcript.attr" => "markdown",
    "meta" => "false"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}

Golang Microlink API example

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY2M2g-tG1Q")
    q.Set("data.transcript.attr", "markdown")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
Read the caption transcript from data.transcript.
The transcript is the video's own caption language — manual subtitles when the creator provided them, otherwise the auto-generated ones. Videos without captions, and live or private videos, return the standard metadata without a transcript body.

Supported source formats

Any HTML page works. Direct file URLs are converted first: PDFs with a text layer, and the office formats docx, xlsx, pptx, odt, rtf, and epub. Image-only PDF scans, the legacy binary formats (doc, xls, ppt), and the OpenDocument spreadsheet and presentation formats (ods, odp) are not converted: the request still succeeds, but the field is left as the raw response instead of readable Markdown.

Next step

Use Data extraction: Page preparation when the output is noisy or incomplete. Use URL to Text when the consumer only needs readable text, or URL to HTML when you need markup.