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How to convert Markdown to PDF in cURL

Markdown is the most convenient format to generate programmatically and the least convenient to hand to a customer. The /v1/generate/markdown endpoint closes that gap: send Markdown, get a styled PDF. It is the shortest path from a generated report, a changelog, or LLM output to a document someone can file or print.

Tables and fenced code blocks are enabled, which covers most of what generated reports actually use. Markdown is converted to HTML and then rendered through the same engine as /v1/generate/html.

Also in: Python · Node.js

cURL example

curl -X POST https://api.inkspan.dev/v1/generate/markdown \
  -H "X-API-Key: ink_live_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"markdown": "# Q3 Report\n\n| Metric | Value |\n|---|---|\n| Signups | 1200 |"}' \
  --output document.pdf

Request parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`markdown`	string	yes	Markdown source. GitHub-style tables and fenced code blocks are supported.
`filename`	string	no	Filename in the response's Content-Disposition.

Response

Returns a PDF as a binary stream with Content-Type: application/pdf and Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=document.pdf. Write the response body straight to disk — do not parse it as JSON.

Things that catch people out

Styling is a sensible built-in default, not configurable through this endpoint. For full control over typography, convert to HTML yourself and use /v1/generate/html.
Tables and fenced code are enabled; more exotic extensions such as footnotes and definition lists are not.
Raw HTML inside Markdown passes through to the renderer, which is useful for a page break (<div style='page-break-after:always'></div>).
Remember to escape newlines as \n when embedding Markdown in a JSON request body.

Errors

Status	Meaning	Fix
`401`	Invalid or missing API key	Send your key in the `X-API-Key` header.
`402`	Monthly quota exceeded	The response reports used/quota. Upgrade at inkspan.dev/#pricing.
`422`	Missing or invalid parameter	Check required fields in the table above — the body names the offending field.

Failed requests do not count against your quota; only successful ones are metered.

Frequently asked questions

Can I control fonts and margins?

Not from this endpoint. Convert the Markdown to HTML in your own code, wrap it in a styled document, and POST that to /v1/generate/html instead.

Does it support Mermaid diagrams?

No. Diagrams are not rendered — generate the image separately and reference it with an absolute URL.

Is this good for LLM output?

Yes, this is a common use. Models emit Markdown naturally, so this endpoint is usually the last step in an agent pipeline that produces a report.

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Related Generate guides: generate a PDF from HTML · generate a PDF from a template