Translate Markdown to Document Object Model (DOM)

To programmatically read, manipulate, and modify the content and formatting of a document, you need to translate it to the Aspose.Words Document Object Model (DOM).

In contrast to Word documents, Markdown does not conform to the DOM described in the Aspose.Words Document Object Model (DOM) article. However, Aspose.Words provides its own mechanism for translating Markdown documents to DOM and back, so that we can successfully work with their elements such as text formatting, tables, headers, and others.

This article explains how the various markdown features can be translated into Aspose.Words DOM and back to Markdown format.

Complexity of Translation Markdown – DOM – Markdown

The main difficulty of this mechanism is not only to translate Markdown to DOM, but also to do the reverse transformation – to save the document back to Markdown format with minimal loss. There are elements, such as multilevel quotes, for which the reverse transformation is not trivial.

Our translation engine allows users not only to work with complex elements in an existing Markdown document, but also to create their own document in Markdown format with the original structure from scratch. To create various elements, you need to use styles with specific names according to certain rules described later in this article. Such styles can be created programmatically.

Common Translation Principles

We use Font formatting for inline blocks. When there is no direct correspondence for a Markdown feature in Aspose.Words DOM, we use a character style with a name that starts from some special words.

For container blocks, we use style inheritance to denote nested Markdown features. In this case, even when there are no nested features, we also use paragraph styles with a name that starts from some special words.

Bulleted and ordered lists are container blocks in Markdown as well. Their nesting is represented in DOM the same way as for all other container blocks using style inheritance. However, additionally, lists in DOM have corresponded number formatting in either list style or paragraph formatting.

Inline Blocks

We use Font formatting when translating Bold, Italic or Strikethrough inline markdown features.

Markdown feature Aspose.Words
Bold
**bold text**		 Font.bold = True 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Make the text Bold.
builder.font.bold = True
builder.writeln("This text will be Bold")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.bold_text_example.md")
Italic
*italic text*		 Font.italic = True 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Make the text Italic.
builder.font.italic = True
builder.writeln("This text will be Italic")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.italic_text_example.md")
Strikethrough
~Strikethrough text~		 Font.strike_through = True 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Make the text Strikethrough.
builder.font.strike_through = True
builder.writeln("This text will be Strikethrough")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.strikethrough_text_example.md")

We use a character style with a name that starts from the word InlineCode, followed by an optional dot (.) and a number of backticks (`) for the InlineCode feature. If a number of backticks is missed, then one backtick will be used by default.

Markdown feature Aspose.Words
InlineCode
**inline code**		 Font.style_name = "InlineCode[.][N]" 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Number of backticks is missed, one backtick will be used by default.
inlineCode1BackTicks = builder.document.styles.add(aw.StyleType.CHARACTER, "InlineCode")
builder.font.style = inlineCode1BackTicks
builder.writeln("Text with InlineCode style with 1 backtick")

# There will be 3 backticks.
inlineCode3BackTicks = builder.document.styles.add(aw.StyleType.CHARACTER, "InlineCode.3")
builder.font.style = inlineCode3BackTicks
builder.writeln("Text with InlineCode style with 3 backtick")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.inline_code_example.md")
Autolink
<scheme://domain.com>
<email@domain.com>		 The FieldHyperlink class. 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Insert hyperlink.
builder.insert_hyperlink("https://www.aspose.com", "https://www.aspose.com", False);
builder.insert_hyperlink("email@aspose.com", "mailto:email@aspose.com", False);

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.autolink_example.md")
Link
[link text](url)
[link text](<url> "title")
[link text](url 'title')
[link text](url (title))		 The FieldHyperlink 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Insert hyperlink.
builder.insert_hyperlink("Aspose", "https://www.aspose.com", False)

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.link_example.md")
Image
![](url)
![alt text](<url> “title”)
![alt text](url ‘title’)
![alt text](url (title))		 The Shape class. 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Insert image.
shape = aw.drawing.Shape(builder.document, aw.drawing.ShapeType.IMAGE)
shape.wrap_type = aw.drawing.WrapType.INLINE
shape.image_data.source_full_name = "/attachment/1456/pic001.png"
shape.image_data.title = "title"
builder.insert_node(shape)

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.image_example.md")

Container Blocks

A document is a sequence of container blocks such as headings, paragraphs, lists, quotes, and others. Container blocks can be divided into 2 classes: Leaf blocks and Complex Containers. Leaf blocks can only contain inline content. Complex containers, in turn, can contain other container blocks, including Leaf blocks.

Leaf Blocks

The table below shows examples of using Markdown Leaf blocks in Aspose.Words:

Markdown feature Aspose.Words
HorizontalRule
-----		 This is a simple paragraph with a corresponding HorizontalRule shape:
DocumentBuilder.insert_horizontal_rule()
ATX Heading
# H1, ## H2, ### H3…		 ParagraphFormat.style_name = "Heading N", where (1<= N <= 9).
This is translated into a built-in style and should be exactly of the specified pattern (no suffixes or prefixes are allowed).
Otherwise, it will be just a regular paragraph with a corresponding style.
Setext Heading
=== (if Heading level 1),
--- (if Heading level 2)		 ParagraphFormat.style_name = "SetextHeading[some suffix]", based on "Heading N" style.
If (N >= 2), then "Heading 2" will be used, otherwise "Heading 1".
Any suffix is allowed, but Aspose.Words importer uses numbers “1” and “2” respectively.		 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
doc = aw.Document()
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder(doc)

builder.paragraph_format.style_name = "Heading 1"
builder.writeln("This is an H1 tag")

# Reset styles from the previous paragraph to not combine styles between paragraphs.
builder.font.bold = False
builder.font.italic = False

setexHeading1 = doc.styles.add(aw.StyleType.PARAGRAPH, "SetexHeading1")
builder.paragraph_format.style = setexHeading1
doc.styles.get_by_name("SetexHeading1").base_style_name = "Heading 1"
builder.writeln("Setex Heading level 1")

builder.paragraph_format.style = doc.styles.get_by_name("Heading 3")
builder.writeln("This is an H3 tag")

# Reset styles from the previous paragraph to not combine styles between paragraphs.
builder.font.bold = False
builder.font.italic = False

setexHeading2 = doc.styles.add(aw.StyleType.PARAGRAPH, "SetexHeading2")
builder.paragraph_format.style = setexHeading2
doc.styles.get_by_name("SetexHeading2").base_style_name = "Heading 3"

# Setex heading level will be reset to 2 if the base paragraph has a Heading level greater than 2.
builder.writeln("Setex Heading level 2")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.setext_heading_example.md")
Indented Code ParagraphFormat.style_name = "IndentedCode[some suffix]" 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

indentedCode = builder.document.styles.add(aw.StyleType.PARAGRAPH, "IndentedCode")
builder.paragraph_format.style = indentedCode
builder.writeln("This is an indented code")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.indented_code_example.md")
Fenced Code
``` c#
if ()
then
else
```
ParagraphFormat.style_name = "FencedCode[.][info string]"
The [.] and [info string] are optional.		 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

fencedCode = builder.document.styles.add(aw.StyleType.PARAGRAPH, "FencedCode")
builder.paragraph_format.style = fencedCode
builder.writeln("This is an fenced code")

fencedCodeWithInfo = builder.document.styles.add(aw.StyleType.PARAGRAPH, "FencedCode.C#")
builder.paragraph_format.style = fencedCodeWithInfo
builder.writeln("This is a fenced code with info string")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.fenced_code_example.md")

Complex Containers

The table below shows examples of using Markdown Complex Containers in Aspose.Words:

Markdown feature Aspose.Words
Quote
> quote,
>> nested quote		 ParagraphFormat.style_name = "Quote[some suffix]"
The suffix in style name is optional, but Aspose.Words importer uses the ordered numbers 1, 2, 3, …. in case of nested quotes.
The nesting is defined via the inherited styles.		 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
doc = aw.Document()
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder(doc)

# By default a document stores blockquote style for the first level.
builder.paragraph_format.style_name = "Quote"
builder.writeln("Blockquote")

# Create styles for nested levels through style inheritance.
quoteLevel2 = doc.styles.add(aw.StyleType.PARAGRAPH, "Quote1")
builder.paragraph_format.style = quoteLevel2
doc.styles.get_by_name("Quote1").base_style_name = "Quote"
builder.writeln("1. Nested blockquote")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.quote_example.md")
BulletedList
- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 2a
- Item 2b		 Bulleted lists are represented using paragraph numbering:
ListFormat.apply_bullet_default()
There can be 3 types of bulleted lists. They are only diff in a numbering format of the very first level. These are: '-', '+' or '*' respectively.		 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

builder.list_format.apply_bullet_default()
builder.list_format.list.list_levels[0].number_format = "-"

builder.writeln("Item 1")
builder.writeln("Item 2")

builder.list_format.list_indent()

builder.writeln("Item 2a")
builder.writeln("Item 2b")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.bulleted_list_example.md")
OrderedList
1. Item 1
2. Item 2
1) Item 2a
2) Item 2b		 Ordered lists are represented using paragraph numbering:
ListFormat.apply_number_default()
There can be 2 number format markers: '.' and ')'. The default marker is '.'.		 
doc = aw.Document()
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder(doc)

builder.list_format.apply_number_default()

builder.writeln("Item 1")
builder.writeln("Item 2")

builder.list_format.list_indent()

builder.writeln("Item 2a")
builder.write("Item 2b")

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.ordered_list_example.md")

Tables

Aspose.Words also allows to translate tables into DOM, as shown below:

Markdown feature Aspose.Words
Table
a\ | b
-\ | -
c\ | d		 Table, Row and Cell classes. 
# Use a document builder to add content to the document.
builder = aw.DocumentBuilder()

# Add the first row.
builder.insert_cell()
builder.writeln("a")
builder.insert_cell()
builder.writeln("b")
builder.end_row()

# Add the second row.
builder.insert_cell()
builder.writeln("c")
builder.insert_cell()
builder.writeln("d")
builder.end_table()

builder.document.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithMarkdown.ordered_list_table.md")

See Also

FAQ

  1. Q: How should heading styles be named when translating Markdown headings to the Aspose.Words DOM?
    A: Use built‑in heading styles with the exact pattern Heading N where N is the level (1‑9). For Setext headings the importer creates a style named SetextHeading that is based on the corresponding Heading N style. Do not add any extra prefixes or suffixes; otherwise the paragraph will be treated as a normal paragraph.

  2. Q: How can I change the bullet or number format of a Markdown list after it has been imported?
    A: After creating the list with builder.list_format.apply_bullet_default() or apply_number_default(), modify the first level’s number_format property. For example, builder.list_format.list.list_levels[0].number_format = "-" changes a bulleted list to use a hyphen, and builder.list_format.list.list_levels[0].number_format = "1)" changes an ordered list to use a closing parenthesis.

  3. Q: What is the recommended way to represent nested blockquotes in the DOM?
    A: Create a paragraph style named Quote for the first level. For each deeper level, add a new paragraph style (e.g., Quote1, Quote2) and set its base_style_name to the style of the previous level. The importer will then map nested > symbols to these inherited styles.

  4. Q: How can I adjust the font size of Markdown content that has been imported into a document?
    A: Use DocumentBuilder to set the font size before writing the text, e.g., builder.font.size = 14. If the content is already present, retrieve the relevant paragraphs and set paragraph.paragraph_format.font.size = 14 for each paragraph that needs resizing.

  5. Q: How are indented and fenced code blocks represented, and can I customize their appearance?
    A: Indented code blocks use a paragraph style IndentedCode[...]; fenced code blocks use FencedCode[.][info]. You can create or modify these styles via doc.styles.add(aw.StyleType.PARAGRAPH, "IndentedCode") or FencedCode.C#, then adjust properties such as paragraph_format.font.name, font.size, or paragraph_format.shading to change the visual appearance of the code blocks.

Aspose.Words DOM Document Builder Overview in Python