Convert Markdown to PDF in Make

Convert Markdown to PDF is a Make module by PDF4me that transforms a .md file or a ZIP archive of Markdown into a polished PDF document inside your automation scenario. Use it to publish README files, technical docs, or wiki exports as PDFs. The module preserves headings, code blocks, tables, and emphasis in the output.

Authenticating Your API Request

To access the PDF4me Web API through Make, every request must include proper authentication credentials. Authentication ensures secure communication and validates your identity as an authorized user, enabling seamless integration between your Make scenarios and PDF4me's Markdown conversion services.

Get your API Key

Important Facts You Should Not Miss

ZIP input requires the Markdown File Path field

When Document is a .zip archive, fill Markdown File Path with the relative path to the .md file inside it, for example docs/README.md. Leave it empty for a direct .md file; omitting it on a ZIP input causes the module to fail.

GitHub-flavored formatting is preserved

Headings, lists, bold and italic emphasis, inline code, fenced code blocks, tables, and blockquotes all render correctly. Images referenced by a relative path may not load, so use absolute URLs for embedded images.

Use an Iterator to convert a whole documentation set

The module converts one Markdown file per run. To process a folder of .md files, place a Repeater or Iterator before this module so each iteration passes one file.

PDF4me Convert Markdown to PDF module in Make showing Connection, File Name, Document, and Markdown File Path fields — Select your PDF4me connection, map File Name and Document from the prior download step, then set Markdown File Path only when Document is a ZIP archive.

What is Convert Markdown to PDF in Make?

Convert Markdown to PDF is Make's PDF4me module for rendering Markdown source into a PDF document programmatically. It accepts a .md file or a ZIP archive as a binary buffer and returns a formatted PDF. Unlike a one-off online converter, this module runs inside an automated scenario so every new README, doc update, or wiki export gets a PDF version without manual steps.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	What it does	Example
Connection	Required	PDF4me connection holding your API key. Create one from the Make Connections panel using your key from dev.pdf4me.com/dashboard.	`TestUser01`
File Name	Required	Markdown filename with a .md extension, or .zip for a ZIP archive containing Markdown. Map it from the prior module output. Drives the output PDF name.	`README.md`
Document	Required	Binary Markdown or ZIP file content as a Make buffer. Map from the Data field of a GitHub, GitLab, Dropbox, or HTTP download module.	`1. Data`
Markdown File Path	Conditional	Relative path to the .md file inside a ZIP archive. Required only when Document is a ZIP; leave empty for a direct .md file.	`docs/README.md`

Output

Field	Type	What it contains
Name	`String`	Output PDF filename derived from the Markdown source filename. Use it in the destination upload module File Name field.
Doc Data	`Buffer`	Binary PDF content rendered from the Markdown source. Map directly into a cloud-storage upload module, an email attachment, or a merge step.

How does Convert Markdown to PDF work in Make?

The module reads the Markdown buffer you map into it, renders headings, lists, tables, code blocks, and emphasis to a fixed layout, and streams the result back as a PDF on the Doc Data field. For a ZIP input it first extracts the file named in Markdown File Path, then renders that file only. Markdown itself follows the CommonMark specification, and GitHub's flavor extends it with tables and task lists as documented in GitHub's Markdown guide. For scenario-building patterns, see the Make help center.

Typical Setups

README PDF on GitHub release

Trigger on a new release created in a GitHub repository.
Download README.md from the repository.
Pass File Name and Document into Convert Markdown to PDF.
Attach the returned PDF to the GitHub release assets.

Batch-convert a documentation folder

List every .md file in a docs folder with a GitLab or Dropbox List module.
Iterate the list and download each file.
Run Convert Markdown to PDF on each iteration.
Upload each PDF to a documentation portal or shared drive.

Archive a wiki export as PDF

Export wiki pages as a ZIP of Markdown files from Confluence or GitLab wiki.
Map the ZIP buffer to Document and set Markdown File Path to the page you want.
Run Convert Markdown to PDF for each page path.
Store the resulting PDFs in a Google Drive archive folder.

Practical Tips

Set Markdown File Path only for ZIP input

Leave it empty when Document is a direct .md file. Omitting it on a ZIP input causes the module to fail because it cannot find a file to render.

Use absolute image URLs

Relative image paths in the Markdown source may not resolve at render time. Point image references to a full https:// URL so they appear in the PDF.

Keep the file extension in File Name

Include .md or .zip in File Name so the module and downstream modules recognize the source format correctly.

Iterate for multiple files

The module renders one Markdown source per run. Place a Repeater or Iterator ahead of it to process an entire folder of .md files.

Credits consume per conversion

Each run consumes PDF4me credits from your plan. Check your dashboard usage before sizing a large batch conversion.

Cheat Sheet

Field	Value
Module	`PDF4me > Convert Markdown to PDF`
Connection	`Your PDF4me connection (key from dev.pdf4me.com/dashboard)`
File Name	`README.md`
Document	`1. Data (binary from prior download)`
Markdown File Path	`docs/README.md (ZIP input only)`
Output	`Doc Data (rendered PDF buffer)`

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert Markdown to PDF in Make?+

Add the PDF4me Convert Markdown to PDF module to a Make scenario, connect it, map File Name and Document from a prior download step, and run the scenario. The module returns a rendered PDF on the Doc Data field with no manual conversion step.

Can I convert a ZIP file of Markdown documents at once?+

The module converts one Markdown file per run, but that file can come from inside a ZIP archive when you set Markdown File Path to the relative path of the .md file in the ZIP. To convert a folder of separate .md files, run the module once per file inside a Make Iterator.

Why don't my images show up in the converted PDF?+

Images referenced by a relative path in the Markdown source may not resolve when the PDF is rendered. Use absolute URLs for embedded images so they load correctly in the output PDF. The GitHub Markdown guide covers image syntax in detail.

What Markdown formatting does the module support?+

The module preserves GitHub-flavored Markdown elements including headings, ordered and unordered lists, bold and italic emphasis, inline code, fenced code blocks, tables, and blockquotes, following the CommonMark specification that GitHub Flavored Markdown extends.