# Write Markdown in Confluence Markdown is the language of documentation. Learn how to write it inside Confluence — with live preview, math, diagrams, and native page output. > Learn how to write Markdown in Confluence — live split preview, Mermaid diagrams, LaTeX math and 190+ code languages, rendered natively on the page. ## Why this matters in Confluence Engineers, developers, and technical writers think in Markdown. READMEs, pull request descriptions, API references, and design docs are all written in it every day. Confluence’s WYSIWYG editor is great for prose, but anyone who maintains technical documentation quickly hits its limits: there is no raw Markdown mode, tables require fiddly toolbar interactions, code blocks are basic, and inline math is effectively impossible. The result is that technical teams either avoid Confluence or maintain a parallel set of Markdown files that nobody can find. ### Markdown is fast, portable, and diff-friendly A Markdown document is plain text. It is fast to type, trivial to diff in version control, easy to review in a pull request, and reusable across GitHub, Notion, VS Code, and terminal tools. Teams that live in those tools expect the same flow inside Confluence, and switching contexts to a rich-text editor costs real focus. ### WYSIWYG fights technical content Tables with alignment, fenced code blocks with language tags, and inline LaTeX equations are painful in a rich-text editor — each one is a dialog box, a toolbar hunt, or a copy-paste that loses formatting. In Markdown they are just syntax: a pipe character, three backticks, a dollar sign. No clicks, no menus, no fighting the editor. ### Pasting Markdown destroys it Confluence does not accept Markdown in its native editor. Pasted Markdown arrives as broken formatting, literal asterisks, or a flattened wall of text. For teams migrating documentation from GitHub or Notion, this is a real productivity tax — every page has to be rebuilt by hand instead of imported. ### Math and diagrams are first-class in Markdown Modern Markdown engines render Mermaid diagrams, KaTeX and LaTeX equations, and MathJax inline. A technical spec can contain a sequence diagram, an ER model, and a derived formula in the same document, all written as text. Doing the same in a WYSIWYG editor means juggling multiple macros and image exports. ### Markdown keeps the source editable When the rendered output is generated from Markdown source, the next editor changes the text and the page redraws — no re-drawing diagrams or reformatting tables by hand. That is what keeps technical docs honest over time instead of slowly drifting into screenshots and stale images. ## The approach that works To write Markdown in Confluence you install a Markdown-capable macro, write or paste your content with a live split preview, then save so the result becomes native page content. The goal is to keep the Markdown editing experience without losing what makes Confluence useful: search, export, permissions, and page history. 1. **Install a Markdown macro.** Install a Markdown app from the Marketplace and insert its macro into a page — typically by typing /markdown or /enhanced markdown in the editor. The macro opens a dedicated Markdown editing environment inside the Confluence page rather than forcing you into a separate tool. 2. **Write or paste your Markdown.** Type Markdown directly, or paste it from GitHub, Notion, VS Code, or a local .md file. GFM tables, fenced code blocks, task lists, blockquotes, and links should all be supported. The better engines also render Mermaid diagrams and KaTeX/LaTeX math inline, so technical and scientific content stays in one editor. 3. **Watch the live split preview.** A side-by-side preview shows the rendered result next to your source, updating as you type. This is what catches syntax slips before they ship to the page — a missing closing fence, a misaligned table row, or an unbalanced equation is obvious immediately instead of after save. 4. **Toggle to WYSIWYG when you need it.** Some team members are more comfortable in a visual editor. A good Markdown macro lets you flip between raw Markdown and a WYSIWYG view, so non-technical editors can still contribute without learning syntax. You keep the speed of Markdown for the heavy lifting and the comfort of visual editing for the rest. 5. **Save as native Confluence content.** On save, the Markdown is converted to standard Confluence storage format. The page is now searchable, exportable to PDF and Word, governed by page permissions, and tracked in page history — exactly like any other Confluence content. The Markdown source is preserved too, so you can re-edit it later without starting over. 6. **Migrate existing docs in bulk.** If you are moving a whole docs site from GitHub or Notion, a Markdown macro combined with an import tool lets you bring pages over as Markdown rather than rebuilding them. Paste the source, preview, save, and move on — the conversion happens on save. ## This solution is for you if… - Developers and technical writers who already write in Markdown every day - Teams migrating documentation from GitHub, Notion, or local .md files - Engineering orgs that want PR-style review of wiki content - Anyone tired of fighting the WYSIWYG editor for tables, code, and math - Data and research teams who need LaTeX equations inside their docs ## Our apps that solve this - **[Enhanced Markdown for Confluence](/apps/enhanced-markdown-for-confluence.md)** — Markdown editor with native Mermaid, ZenUML, KaTeX and MathJax rendering for Confluence pages · [Install from Atlassian Marketplace](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1237026/enhanced-markdown-for-confluence?utm_source=ngpilot.com&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=scenario-write-markdown-in-confluence) ## Read the guides - [Enhanced Markdown Setup: Macro, Modes & Publish](/blog/how-to-write-markdown-in-confluence.md) - [Write Markdown in Confluence: Syntax & Tables](/blog/faq-confluence-markdown-editor.md) - [Write Markdown in Confluence with Mermaid & LaTeX](/blog/write-markdown-confluence-mermaid-latex-code.md) - [Markdown vs WYSIWYG in Confluence — When to Pick Which](/blog/faq-confluence-markdown-vs-wysiwyg.md) - [Markdown Tables in Confluence: Syntax & Alignment](/blog/confluence-markdown-tables.md) - [Import Markdown into Confluence — 3 Methods Compared (2026)](/blog/markdown-to-confluence-converter.md) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can Confluence render Markdown natively? No. Confluence’s editor is WYSIWYG only — there is no built-in Markdown mode. A Marketplace app like Enhanced Markdown for Confluence adds a Markdown macro with a live split preview, so you can write and edit pages in Markdown and save them as native Confluence content. ### Does saved Markdown behave like normal Confluence content? Yes. On save, the Markdown is converted to Confluence storage format, so it participates in search, page history, PDF and Word exports, and page permissions exactly like any other content. The Markdown source is also preserved, so you can re-edit it later. ### Can I mix Markdown with diagrams and math? Yes. A Markdown engine with Mermaid and KaTeX/LaTeX support renders diagrams and equations inline alongside your text. A single page can contain prose, a sequence diagram, a code block, and a derived equation, all written as Markdown. ### Can I paste Markdown from GitHub or Notion? Yes. A Markdown macro accepts pasted Markdown directly — GFM tables, fenced code, task lists, and links all render in the live preview. You do not need to reformat or rebuild the page by hand. ### Can non-technical teammates still edit the page? Yes. Most Markdown macros offer a WYSIWYG toggle, so editors who prefer a visual view can use it while engineers work in raw Markdown. Both modes edit the same content. ### Is Markdown better than the WYSIWYG editor for Confluence? It depends on the content. For prose and general knowledge pages, the WYSIWYG editor is fine. For technical documentation — tables, code, math, diagrams, and content reviewed like code — Markdown is faster, more precise, and easier to maintain over time. ## Ready to try it? All NGPILOT apps are free for up to 10 users and install in one click from the Atlassian Marketplace. Browse the [full app catalog](/apps.md) or read more [scenario solutions](/solutions.md).