| Feature |
Markdown |
HTML |
| Purpose |
Simplified formatting for text, commonly used in documentation and writing. |
A more robust language for structuring and displaying content on the web. |
| Syntax |
Lightweight and easy to read/write. |
More verbose and rigid with tags and attributes. |
| Learning Curve |
Beginner-friendly and intuitive. |
Requires learning numerous tags and attributes. |
| Use Cases |
Writing README files, documentation, blogs, and plain text formatting. |
Creating entire web pages with complex layouts and interactivity. |
| File Extension |
.md or .markdown. |
.html or .htm. |
| Examples |
**bold** for bold or # Heading for a heading. |
<strong>bold</strong> for bold or <h1>Heading</h1> for a heading. |
| Flexibility |
Limited formatting options, focused on simplicity. |
Highly flexible, supports complex styles, scripts, and multimedia. |
| Rendering |
Requires a processor to convert to HTML for display in browsers. |
Directly rendered by web browsers. |
| Integration |
Often converted to HTML using tools like Pandoc or for CMS systems. |
Can include scripts (JavaScript), styles (CSS), and integrate with APIs. |
