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Overview

In addition to converting various document formats to Markdown, MkDowner also supports the reverse operation: converting Markdown files to Word documents. This feature is available through a separate route at /pandoc and is powered by the PandocConverter component.
Access the Markdown-to-Word converter by navigating to /pandoc in your browser when running the application.

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Features

Markdown Input

Upload .md files for conversion

DOCX Output

Download professional Word documents

Progress Tracking

Real-time conversion progress visualization

File Size Support

Supports Markdown files up to 16MB

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How It Works

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User Flow

1

Navigate to the converter

Access the Markdown-to-Word converter at /pandoc route.
2

Upload a Markdown file

Drag and drop your .md file or click to browse. Only .md files are accepted.
// File validation in PandocConverter
if (files[0] && files[0].name.endsWith('.md')) {
  setSelectedFile(files[0]);
} else {
  alert('Please select a .md file');
}
3

Convert

Click the “Convert to Word” button to start the conversion process.
4

Download

The converted DOCX file is automatically downloaded with the original filename (replacing .md with .docx).

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Component Implementation

The PandocConverter component (~/workspace/source/src/PandocConverter.tsx) handles the entire Markdown-to-Word conversion flow:

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State Management

const [selectedFile, setSelectedFile] = useState<File | null>(null);
const [isUploading, setIsUploading] = useState(false);
const [progress, setProgress] = useState(0);
const [showSuccess, setShowSuccess] = useState(false);
const [downloadedFileName, setDownloadedFileName] = useState('');

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File Upload

The component accepts only .md files: 
const handleFileSelect = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
  const files = e.target.files;
  if (files && files[0] && files[0].name.endsWith('.md')) {
    setSelectedFile(files[0]);
    setShowSuccess(false);
  } else {
    alert('Please select a .md file');
  }
};

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API Request

Sends the Markdown file to the /md-to-word endpoint: 
const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('file', selectedFile);

const response = await fetch(`${import.meta.env.VITE_API_BASE_URL}/md-to-word`, {
  method: 'POST',
  body: formData,
});
Note the difference: this endpoint uses 'file' (singular) instead of 'files' (plural) used in the main upload endpoint.

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File Download

Downloads the converted DOCX file: 
const blob = await response.blob();
const fileName = `${selectedFile.name.split('.')[0]}.docx`;

const url = window.URL.createObjectURL(blob);
const a = document.createElement('a');
a.href = url;
a.download = fileName;
document.body.appendChild(a);
a.click();
window.URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
document.body.removeChild(a);

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Routing

The application uses React Router to provide two separate interfaces: 
// src/main.tsx
<BrowserRouter>
  <Routes>
    <Route path="/" element={<App />} />
    <Route path="/pandoc" element={<PandocConverter />} />
  </Routes>
</BrowserRouter>
RouteComponentPurpose
/AppMain converter (any format → Markdown)
/pandocPandocConverterMarkdown → Word conversion

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API Endpoint

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POST /md-to-word

Converts a Markdown file to Word format. Request: 
POST /md-to-word HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost:5001
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=----WebKitFormBoundary

------WebKitFormBoundary
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="file"; filename="readme.md"
Content-Type: text/markdown

[markdown content]
------WebKitFormBoundary--
Response (Success): 
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="readme.docx"

[docx binary data]
Response (Error): 
HTTP/1.1 400 Bad Request
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "error": "Invalid markdown file"
}

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Differences from Main Converter

FeatureMain App (/)Pandoc (/pandoc)
Input formatsPDF, DOCX, PPTX, images, etc.Markdown (.md) only
Output formatMarkdown (.md)Word (.docx)
Multiple files✅ Yes (creates .zip)❌ No (single file only)
File size limit24MB16MB
API endpoint/upload/md-to-word
FormData key'files' (plural)'file' (singular)

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Use Cases

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Documentation Publishing

Convert Markdown documentation to Word format for:
  • Corporate document standards
  • Print publishing workflows
  • Stakeholder reviews requiring Word format

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Content Migration

Convert Markdown content to Word when:
  • Moving from static site generators to traditional CMS
  • Sharing with non-technical collaborators
  • Creating editable templates from Markdown sources

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Collaborative Editing

Export Markdown to Word for:
  • Track changes functionality
  • Comments and annotations
  • Integration with Microsoft 365 workflows

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Limitations

The Markdown-to-Word converter currently supports only single-file conversions. Batch processing is not available.
  • Single file only: Unlike the main converter, this does not support multiple files
  • File size limit: 16MB maximum (smaller than the 24MB limit for the main converter)
  • Markdown only: Only accepts files with .md extension
  • No preview: Files are converted and downloaded without preview

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Testing the Endpoint

You can test the Markdown-to-Word endpoint with curl: 
curl -X POST http://localhost:5001/md-to-word \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -o output.docx

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Future Enhancements

Potential improvements for the Markdown-to-Word feature:
  • Multiple file support with ZIP output
  • Markdown preview before conversion
  • Custom Word template selection
  • Style preservation options
  • Metadata configuration (author, title, etc.)

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