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[Parsing & Serialization](/categories/parsing) 4. / 5. professional-wiki/native-markdown ActiveMediawiki-extension[Parsing & Serialization](/categories/parsing) professional-wiki/native-markdown ================================= MediaWiki extension that makes Markdown a native content model with first-class wiki integration 1.0.1(yesterday)42↓100%GPL-2.0-or-laterPHP >=8.1 Since Jul 7Compare [ Source](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/NativeMarkdown)[ Packagist](https://packagist.org/packages/professional-wiki/native-markdown)[ Docs](https://professional.wiki/en/extension/native-markdown)[ RSS](/packages/professional-wiki-native-markdown/feed)WikiDiscussions Synced today READMEChangelog (2)Dependencies (7)Versions (3)Used By (0) Native Markdown =============== [](#native-markdown) [![GitHub Workflow Status](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/ae54679735b7e31ed7fe7abb35f87e8e8d4bfb64a63337d685ec3809df911110/68747470733a2f2f696d672e736869656c64732e696f2f6769746875622f616374696f6e732f776f726b666c6f772f7374617475732f50726f66657373696f6e616c57696b692f4e61746976654d61726b646f776e2f63692e796d6c3f6272616e63683d6d6173746572)](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/NativeMarkdown/actions?query=workflow%3ACI)[![codecov](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/ec1c30e54d47c9284cdcbd9355fdd757db59b26cb59efd8da9c1c0dea1e34e06/68747470733a2f2f636f6465636f762e696f2f67682f50726f66657373696f6e616c57696b692f4e61746976654d61726b646f776e2f6272616e63682f6d61737465722f67726170682f62616467652e737667)](https://codecov.io/gh/ProfessionalWiki/NativeMarkdown)[![Type Coverage](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/f20b7bc0a672ab85a0ab8edf88369e03525df4159104c9e11fa9bcd2e8b5673e/68747470733a2f2f73686570686572642e6465762f6769746875622f50726f66657373696f6e616c57696b692f4e61746976654d61726b646f776e2f636f7665726167652e737667)](https://shepherd.dev/github/ProfessionalWiki/NativeMarkdown)[![Psalm level](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/b5815ff78737cd7fbafd78904ef3b689e97c934f7e7c38ad3fad7dd38e8571e3/68747470733a2f2f73686570686572642e6465762f6769746875622f50726f66657373696f6e616c57696b692f4e61746976654d61726b646f776e2f6c6576656c2e737667)](psalm.xml)[![Latest Stable Version](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/20f89dcc6588969e0950eb319a7049183f4bb40104a62a6e8785d223a604f2d6/68747470733a2f2f706f7365722e707567782e6f72672f70726f66657373696f6e616c2d77696b692f6e61746976652d6d61726b646f776e2f762f737461626c65)](https://packagist.org/packages/professional-wiki/native-markdown)[![Download count](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/c2127d8205c52653658303929738eadbe25b2e2e28681658883e847d90984927/68747470733a2f2f706f7365722e707567782e6f72672f70726f66657373696f6e616c2d77696b692f6e61746976652d6d61726b646f776e2f646f776e6c6f616473)](https://packagist.org/packages/professional-wiki/native-markdown)[![License](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/30a7b7a604864879453ed4fd5635c14ae8d0fb24e76d5d816a9b648d63befd7e/68747470733a2f2f706f7365722e707567782e6f72672f70726f66657373696f6e616c2d77696b692f6e61746976652d6d61726b646f776e2f6c6963656e7365)](LICENSE) [MediaWiki](https://www.mediawiki.org) extension that makes Markdown a **native content model**: whole pages are stored and edited as Markdown and rendered with real wiki integration (internal links, categories, search, templates, and more), coexisting with wikitext pages on the same wiki. Because pages are stored as plain Markdown, they are directly consumable and writable by LLMs and agents: `action=raw` returns clean Markdown; no wikitext conversion needed. See [For AI agents and LLMs](#for-ai-agents-and-llms). [![Editing a Markdown page: clean Markdown source, then the rendered page with a table of contents, wiki links, and a category](docs/screenshots/native-markdown-demo.gif)](docs/screenshots/native-markdown-demo.gif) - [Introduction to the extension](https://professional.wiki/en/extension/native-markdown#Overview) - [Usage documentation](https://professional.wiki/en/extension/native-markdown#Usage) - [Installation](#installation) - [Configuration](#configuration) - [Templates and parser functions](#templates-and-parser-functions) - [For AI agents and LLMs](#for-ai-agents-and-llms) - [Comparison with other Markdown extensions](#comparison-with-other-markdown-extensions) - [Development](#development) - [Release notes](#release-notes) Get professional support for this extension via [Professional Wiki](https://professional.wiki), its creators and maintainers. We provide [MediaWiki Development](https://professional.wiki/en/mediawiki-development), [MediaWiki Hosting](https://pro.wiki), and [MediaWiki Consulting](https://professional.wiki/en/mediawiki-consulting-services) services. Installation ------------ [](#installation) Platform requirements: - [PHP](https://www.php.net) 8.1 or later - [MediaWiki](https://www.mediawiki.org) 1.43 or later Installation uses [Composer](https://getcomposer.org) with [MediaWiki's built-in support for Composer](https://professional.wiki/en/articles/installing-mediawiki-extensions-with-composer). On the command line, go to your wiki's root directory. Then run these two commands: ``` COMPOSER=composer.local.json composer require --no-update professional-wiki/native-markdown:~1.0 ``` ``` composer update professional-wiki/native-markdown --no-dev -o ``` Then enable the extension by adding the following to the bottom of your wiki's [LocalSettings.php](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:LocalSettings.php) file: ``` wfLoadExtension( 'NativeMarkdown' ); ``` For Markdown syntax highlighting in the editor, also install the [CodeEditor extension](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:CodeEditor): [![The wiki edit form with Markdown syntax highlighting](docs/screenshots/editor-markdown-highlighting.png)](docs/screenshots/editor-markdown-highlighting.png) Configuration ------------- [](#configuration) New pages use the Markdown content model where the wiki's configuration says so. Defaults apply to page creation only; existing pages never change model implicitly. Individual pages can be switched between wikitext and Markdown (in both directions) via `Special:ChangeContentModel`. SettingDefaultEffect`$wgNativeMarkdownNamespaces``[]`Namespace IDs in which new pages default to Markdown, e.g. `[ NS_HELP ]``$wgNativeMarkdownEverywhere``true`New pages everywhere default to Markdown, the "Markdown wiki" mode (see exclusions below); set to `false` to keep wikitext as the default`$wgNativeMarkdownSuffixDetection``false`New pages whose title ends in `.md` default to Markdown, except in the Template and MediaWiki namespaces`$wgNativeMarkdownAllowExternalImages``false`Embed external `![alt](url)` images; when off they render as plain links`$wgNativeMarkdownWikitextExpansion``true`Run `{{...}}` on Markdown pages through the MediaWiki parser: templates, parser functions, magic words, and Lua modules. Set to `false` to leave `{{...}}` as literal text (see [Templates and parser functions](#templates-and-parser-functions))`$wgNativeMarkdownEverywhere` covers the whole prose wiki, but deliberately leaves some pages as wikitext: the discussion (Talk) namespaces, where signatures and threading depend on wikitext; the Template and MediaWiki namespaces; and any namespace whose content model is explicitly configured elsewhere (for example a Scribunto or JSON namespace). Titles ending in `.css`, `.js` or `.json` never default to Markdown either, since MediaWiki reserves those for code pages. External links honor the core `$wgNoFollowLinks` setting. Input size is bounded by core's `$wgMaxArticleSize`. `$wgNativeMarkdownSuffixDetection` reads the `.md` suffix as a deliberate per-page choice, so — unlike the wiki-wide mode — it also applies inside Talk namespaces, where a Markdown talk page then has no wikitext signatures or threading. It still skips the Template and MediaWiki namespaces, where Markdown can act as neither a template nor an interface message; add those to `$wgNativeMarkdownNamespaces` to opt them in anyway. Templates and parser functions ------------------------------ [](#templates-and-parser-functions) Markdown pages can use MediaWiki's `{{...}}` syntax. Because expansion delegates to the wikitext parser, this covers the whole double-brace surface: templates (a wiki's shared infoboxes, citations and navboxes), parser functions (`{{#if:}}`, `{{#switch:}}`, and so on), magic words and variables (`{{PAGENAME}}`, `{{CURRENTYEAR}}`), and, where [Scribunto](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Scribunto) is installed, Lua modules via `{{#invoke:}}`. Set `$wgNativeMarkdownWikitextExpansion = false` to turn this off and leave `{{...}}` as literal text. ``` {{Infobox person | name = Ada Lovelace | born = 1815 }} Ada Lovelace was an English **mathematician**, regarded as the first computer programmer. ``` Because it is the real parser, the same trust and resource model as wikitext applies: template dependencies are tracked (editing a template reparses the pages that transclude it), recursion and size limits apply, and output is sanitized exactly as wikitext is. Enabling `{{...}}` on a Markdown page grants the same capabilities a wikitext page has, so on a wiki with untrusted editors, weigh it the same way you weigh wikitext templates, parser functions and Lua. Placement follows the split between block and inline content: - A call on its **own line** produces block output, so an infobox table renders as a block rather than being wrapped in a paragraph. It may span multiple lines, including blank parameter lines, until the braces balance. - A call **within a line** of text renders inline and must stay on a single line; multi-line calls have to start on their own line. - Template arguments are wikitext, not Markdown. Inside a GFM table cell, escape argument pipes as `\|`. Write `\{\{` to keep braces literal. - A block call with no closing `}}` is rendered as literal text through to the end of the page (Markdown parsing cannot backtrack), so a forgotten brace shows up as visible braces to fix rather than a silent error. Out of scope in this version, by design: - `...` and `` in the Markdown body (these are tags, not `{{...}}`), and citation state is not shared across separate calls on a page. - Transcluding another **Markdown** page with `{{:Page}}`: its source would be reinterpreted as wikitext, so transclude wikitext pages instead. `subst:` does not substitute on save. - Enabling the setting does not reparse existing pages; they show template output once edited or purged. Run `refreshLinks.php` to populate the template links eagerly. For AI agents and LLMs ---------------------- [](#for-ai-agents-and-llms) Markdown is the native read/write format of today's language models, and Native Markdown stores pages as exactly that: plain Markdown, no wikitext wrapper. That makes a Markdown page directly consumable and directly writable by an agent, with no lossy conversion step in either direction: - **Read the source** with `action=raw`: ``` GET /index.php?title=Release_Notes.md&action=raw ``` returns the raw Markdown, front matter and all, exactly the bytes an author typed. - **Read via the REST API**, which also reports the model: ``` GET /rest.php/v1/page/Release_Notes.md → { "content_model": "markdown", "source": "# Release Notes\n...", ... } ``` - **Read the rendered HTML** with `action=parse` (`?action=parse&page=Release_Notes.md&prop=text`), for when an agent wants the resolved links and table of contents rather than the source. - **Write** through the ordinary editing APIs (`action=edit`, the REST update endpoint) or, more conveniently, through the [MediaWiki MCP Server](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/MediaWiki-MCP-Server): an agent hands over Markdown and it is stored verbatim, rendered with full wiki integration on read. Because the round trip is lossless, an agent can fetch a page as Markdown, edit it, and write it back without the content drifting through a wikitext translation. Full-text search indexes the rendered prose (not the raw markup), so an agent's keyword lookups match what a reader sees rather than `#` and `**` noise. Comparison with other Markdown extensions ----------------------------------------- [](#comparison-with-other-markdown-extensions) Native Markdown exists because no maintained extension makes Markdown a native content model: - **[Extension:WikiMarkdown](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:WikiMarkdown)** embeds Markdown blocks inside wikitext pages via a tag, plus a shallow `.md`content handler on top of Parsedown. Inside the Markdown there are no working `[[wiki links]]`, no category assignment and no MediaWiki table of contents. Native Markdown makes the whole page Markdown, with links, categories, ToC, search and link tables behaving like they do on wikitext pages. - **[Extension:Markdown](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Markdown)** is archived and points visitors to WikiMarkdown. - **[MarkdownExtraParser](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:MarkdownExtraParser)** has been unmaintained for over a decade. Related but different: our [ExternalContent extension](https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/ExternalContent) embeds Markdown *files from external sources* (like GitHub) into wikitext pages, while Native Markdown is for the wiki's own pages being Markdown. They compose nicely. Development ----------- [](#development) The Application layer (the whole Markdown pipeline) has no MediaWiki dependencies, so the unit suite runs standalone in the extension directory with no MediaWiki install: ``` composer install composer test ``` Style checks and static analysis, also standalone: `composer cs`, `composer phpstan`, `composer psalm`. The full suite including integration tests runs inside a MediaWiki install, from the MediaWiki root: ``` php tests/phpunit/phpunit.php extensions/NativeMarkdown/tests/phpunit/ ``` Release notes ------------- [](#release-notes) ### Version 1.0.1 - 2026-07-07 [](#version-101---2026-07-07) - Redirect pages now render and register the content after the `#REDIRECT [[Target]]` line, so redirect categories (and any other trailing links or prose) work the same as on wikitext redirects ### Version 1.0.0 - 2026-07-07 [](#version-100---2026-07-07) Initial release for MediaWiki 1.43+ with these features: - Markdown content model (`markdown`) rendering CommonMark + GitHub Flavored Markdown with footnotes - Wikitext link syntax inside Markdown: internal links, section links, categories, file embeds, interwiki - MediaWiki integration: table of contents, red/blue links, link tables, WhatLinksHere, WantedPages/Files - Clean full-text search: rendered prose is indexed, not raw markup; front matter excluded - YAML front matter parsed, hidden from output and stored as page metadata - Per-page model switching via `Special:ChangeContentModel`, namespace/suffix/wiki-wide activation modes - MediaWiki `{{...}}` expansion (on by default): templates, parser functions, magic words and Lua run through the real parser with dependency tracking; opt out with `$wgNativeMarkdownWikitextExpansion = false` - XSS-safe by construction: raw HTML escaped, unsafe links blocked, external images off by default - `action=raw` / REST return the stored Markdown byte for byte, built for AI agents and git round-trips - CodeEditor syntax highlighting on Markdown pages ### Health Score 40 — FairBetter than 86% of packages Maintenance100 Actively maintained with recent releases Popularity7 Limited adoption so far Community2 Small or concentrated contributor base Maturity43 Maturing project, gaining track record How is this calculated?**Maintenance (25%)** — Last commit recency, latest release date, and issue-to-star ratio. Uses a 2-year decay window. **Popularity (30%)** — Total and monthly downloads, GitHub stars, and forks. Logarithmic scaling prevents top-heavy scores. **Community (15%)** — Contributors, dependents, forks, watchers, and maintainers. Measures real ecosystem engagement. **Maturity (30%)** — Project age, version count, PHP version support, and release stability. ### Release Activity Cadence Every ~0 days Total 2 Last Release 1d ago ### Community Maintainers ![](https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/451bd4039d530fed8f9c3da91bfa519233a397d2182cdfdcad700f6cfea19b7f?d=identicon)[Jeroen De Dauw](/maintainers/Jeroen%20De%20Dauw) --- Tags mediawikimarkdowncommonmarkwikicontent modelGitHub Flavored Markdown ### Code Quality TestsPHPUnit Static AnalysisPHPStan, Psalm Type Coverage Yes ### Embed Badge ![Health badge](/badges/professional-wiki-native-markdown/health.svg) ``` [![Health](https://phpackages.com/badges/professional-wiki-native-markdown/health.svg)](https://phpackages.com/packages/professional-wiki-native-markdown) ``` ### Alternatives [helsingborg-stad/municipio A bootstrap theme for creating municipality sites. 4028.5k10](/packages/helsingborg-stad-municipio)[tempest/framework The PHP framework that gets out of your way. 2.2k34.4k15](/packages/tempest-framework)[statamic/cms The Statamic CMS Core Package 4.8k3.6M1.0k](/packages/statamic-cms)[october/rain October Rain Library 1601.7M87](/packages/october-rain)[rcsofttech/audit-trail-bundle Enterprise-grade, high-performance Symfony audit trail bundle. 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