HTML vs Markdown: What's the Difference and When to Use Each
Markdown is a shorthand for a subset of HTML. Knowing where that subset ends tells you exactly when to reach for raw tags.
Quick answer
Markdown was designed so that a plain-text document reads naturally even before it is rendered. A Markdown processor converts that shorthand into HTML, which is what browsers actually display. Markdown is the author-facing format; HTML is the machine-facing one.
Markdown is a shorthand, HTML is the target
Markdown was designed so that a plain-text document reads naturally even before it is rendered. A Markdown processor converts that shorthand into HTML, which is what browsers actually display. Markdown is the author-facing format; HTML is the machine-facing one.
What Markdown covers well
For everyday documents, Markdown handles almost everything you need.
- Headings, paragraphs and line breaks
- Bold, italic and inline code
- Ordered and unordered lists
- Links, images and blockquotes
- Fenced code blocks with language hints
Where you still need HTML
Anything involving attributes, layout or semantics beyond the basics requires raw HTML: tables with merged cells, custom classes, iframes, form controls, ARIA attributes and inline styles. Most Markdown processors let you drop HTML directly into a document for exactly these cases.
Portability and version control
Markdown files diff cleanly in Git because a wording change touches one line rather than a nest of tags. That makes Markdown the better default for documentation, READMEs and blog drafts that live in a repository.
Converting safely
When converting Markdown to HTML for a public site, be careful with raw HTML embedded inside untrusted Markdown — it can carry scripts. Sanitise output that came from users. For your own content, straight conversion is fine, and doing it in the browser means unpublished drafts never leave your device.
Tools mentioned in this guide
FAQ
Can I use HTML inside Markdown?
Yes. Most Markdown processors pass raw HTML through, which is the standard way to add tables, iframes or custom attributes.
Is there one Markdown standard?
CommonMark is the closest to a standard, but flavours like GitHub Flavored Markdown add tables, task lists and strikethrough on top of it.