How to use Markdown in Confluence

[David Ventimiglia]

How do I use Markdown if at all for authoring Confluence content?

I ask because a web search shows a number of articles and pieces of documentation that indicate one can use Markdown directly in Confluence via Insert > Markdown.  However, I don't have that option.  My Confluence insert drop-down offers many choices, but Markdown isn't one of them.  See the attached screenshot.

What do you all recommend?

[Dawid Joshua _TechTime_ · Accepted solution]

The Markdown description you're sharing fits the Legacy editor. From Confluence wiki markup syntax page (here):

To insert markdown in the Legacy editor:

1. Choose Insert > Markup. 
2. Select Markdown. 
3. Type or paste your text - the preview will show you how it will appear on your page. 
4. Choose Insert.

As with wiki markup, Confluence Cloud will convert your markdown to the rich text editor format. You will not be able to edit your content using markdown.

Legacy editor on Cloud exists only when you migrate from Server to Cloud. When you hit the Create button on Confluence Cloud, you can only use the New editor to create pages. Check the differences between the two editors here. Although you don't have a markdown macro in the new editor, it comes with native formatting options listed here. 

Hope that answers your question.

[Nar Kumar C_ - Narva Software]

Hi David,

If you paste Markdown into Confluence editor, it will automatically convert to Confluence format. So if you want to edit, you can no more use Markdown after pasting.

As an alternative option, we recently released an app: Markdown for Confluence - Native Markdown Editor

With this app, you can create and edit Confluence pages with Markdown. So it allows pasting Markdown and editing them afterward using Markdown.

Hope this app will be helpful. Let us know if you have any feedback.