# Markdown to PDF Converter

A free, client-side Markdown to PDF converter with live preview, syntax highlighting, and Mermaid diagram support. All processing happens in the browser - no data is uploaded to servers.

## Overview

This web application allows users to convert Markdown documents to PDF format with a split-pane interface featuring real-time preview. Built with Next.js 15, React 19, and TypeScript, it provides a professional document editing experience entirely in the browser.

## Key Features

- **Live Preview**: Real-time Markdown rendering with split-pane interface
- **PDF Export**: One-click PDF generation using html2pdf.js
- **Syntax Highlighting**: Code blocks with theme support via react-syntax-highlighter
- **Mermaid Diagrams**: Support for flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and other visualizations
- **Document Management**: Local browser storage with auto-save functionality
- **Search**: Global document search with Cmd/Ctrl+K shortcut
- **Themes**: Dark/light mode support with system preference detection
- **Mobile Responsive**: Optimized mobile editing experience
- **Keyboard Shortcuts**: Efficient workflow with hotkeys
- **Privacy-First**: All processing happens client-side, no server uploads

## Technical Stack

- **Frontend**: Next.js 15, React 19, TypeScript
- **Styling**: Tailwind CSS with custom design system
- **Editor**: Monaco Editor for code editing experience
- **Markdown**: react-markdown with remark-gfm for GitHub-flavored markdown
- **PDF Generation**: html2pdf.js for client-side PDF creation
- **Diagrams**: Mermaid for flowcharts and diagrams
- **Storage**: Browser localStorage for document persistence
- **Analytics**: Vercel Analytics for usage tracking

## Use Cases

- **Documentation**: Convert README files and docs to PDF
- **Technical Writing**: Create formatted technical documents
- **Note-Taking**: Personal notes with export capability
- **Academic Writing**: Research papers and assignments
- **Project Reports**: Professional document creation
- **Code Documentation**: Include syntax-highlighted code in PDFs
- **Flowcharts**: Visual diagrams in documents

## Target Users

- Developers and technical writers
- Students and researchers
- Content creators and bloggers
- Project managers
- Anyone needing to convert Markdown to PDF

## Getting Started

1. Visit the application in your web browser
2. Start typing Markdown in the left pane
3. See live preview in the right pane
4. Use the PDF export button to download
5. Documents auto-save to browser storage
6. Use Cmd/Ctrl+K for quick document search

## API and Integration

This is a standalone web application without public APIs. However, the codebase is open source and can be:
- Self-hosted for enterprise use
- Extended with custom features
- Integrated into existing workflows
- Modified for specific requirements

## Performance and Limitations

- **Client-side processing**: No server dependencies
- **Browser storage**: Limited by browser localStorage quotas
- **PDF quality**: Dependent on html2pdf.js capabilities
- **Large documents**: Performance may vary with very large files
- **Browser compatibility**: Requires modern JavaScript features

## Open Source

The project is open source and available on GitHub. Contributions welcome for:
- Feature enhancements
- Bug fixes
- Performance improvements
- UI/UX improvements
- Documentation updates

## Contact and Support

- GitHub: https://github.com/camilocbarrera/md-to-pdf
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristiancamilocorrea/
- Issues: Report bugs and feature requests on GitHub

This tool represents the evolution of document processing from server-based to client-side solutions, prioritizing user privacy and providing instant results without the need for account creation or data uploads.