Markdownify MCP Server

What is Markdownify MCP Server?

Markdownify is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that converts various file types and web content to Markdown format. It provides tools to transform PDFs, images, audio files, web pages, and more into readable, shareable Markdown text.

How to use Markdownify MCP Server?

Clone the repository, install dependencies with bun install, build with bun run build, and start with bun start. To integrate with a desktop app, add the server configuration to your app's mcpServers object. Optionally use Docker; mount host directories and set MD_ALLOWED_PATHS to enforce read boundaries.

Key features of Markdownify MCP Server

• Convert PDF, images, audio, DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX to Markdown
• Transcribe audio files to Markdown
• Extract YouTube video transcripts as Markdown
• Fetch Bing search results and general web pages as Markdown
• Retrieve existing Markdown files from allowed directories
• Restrict file access with the MD_ALLOWED_PATHS environment variable

Use cases of Markdownify MCP Server

• Transform PDF reports into editable Markdown documents
• Transcribe meeting recordings or podcasts into searchable notes
• Capture YouTube video summaries as Markdown for quick reference
• Convert office files (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX) to plain Markdown
• Scrape web pages or search results into structured Markdown content

FAQ from Markdownify MCP Server

What file types can Markdownify MCP Server convert?

It converts PDF, images, audio (with transcription), DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, YouTube videos, Bing search results, and general web pages. It can also retrieve existing Markdown files.

Does the Docker image support all conversion features?

No. The published Docker image installs only markitdown[pdf]. Audio transcription and image OCR require the [all] extras and will fail in the slim image. Use a local install (bun install) for full functionality.

How do I restrict which files the server can read?

Set the MD_ALLOWED_PATHS environment variable to a colon-separated list of allowed directories. When set, all file‑input tools reject paths outside these directories.

Where is the markitdown executable located?

By default, the server looks for it in the project’s .venv/bin/markitdown, then falls back to any markitdown on PATH. Override with the MARKITDOWN_PATH environment variable if you have installed it system‑wide (e.g. via pipx).

What are the runtime dependencies?

The server requires Node.js (via node in the desktop configuration), Bun for building and running, and a Python virtual environment (created automatically by bun install) for the markitdown utility. For Docker, only Node.js and the slim markitdown are included.