Convert HTML to ADOC

Why Convert HTML to ADOC?

Converting HTML to ADOC is useful when you need to transform web content into AsciiDoc format for technical documentation and publishing. ADOC (AsciiDoc) is a lightweight markup language that's more powerful than Markdown and ideal for writing technical documentation, books, articles, and manuals. When you convert HTML to ADOC, you're transforming web markup into a clean, plain-text format that can be processed with Asciidoctor to generate HTML, PDF, EPUB, and other output formats.

AsciiDoc was created by Stuart Rackham in 2002 as a comprehensive markup language for technical writing. It uses simple, readable syntax similar to Markdown but with more features: advanced tables, admonitions (NOTE, TIP, WARNING, IMPORTANT, CAUTION), include directives for modular documentation, conditional content, cross-references, and much more. Asciidoctor, the modern Ruby-based processor, has become the standard implementation, offering fast processing, extensive customization, and integration with popular documentation workflows.

Our HTML to ADOC converter extracts content from HTML documents and transforms it into proper AsciiDoc markup. The converter removes all HTML tags, JavaScript, CSS, and web-specific elements, producing clean ADOC text that can be used with Asciidoctor or any AsciiDoc processor. This is useful for migrating web documentation to AsciiDoc format, extracting content from web pages for documentation projects, or converting HTML-based help files to ADOC for professional publishing.

AsciiDoc is widely used in the tech industry for serious documentation projects. O'Reilly Media uses AsciiDoc for technical book authoring. GitHub supports .adoc files for README and documentation. GitLab uses AsciiDoc for documentation. Major projects like Spring Framework, Hibernate, and many others use AsciiDoc for their documentation. Asciidoctor can generate beautiful HTML documentation with themes, convert to PDF with professional layouts, create EPUB e-books, generate DocBook XML, and even produce presentation slides. While Markdown is simpler for basic content, AsciiDoc excels at complex, professional documentation that needs to be published in multiple formats.

Key Benefits of Converting HTML to ADOC:

• More Powerful Than Markdown: Advanced features for complex documentation
• Multi-Format Output: Convert to HTML, PDF, EPUB, DocBook, slides
• Professional Publishing: Book-quality PDF output
• Modular Documentation: Include files, conditional content
• Advanced Tables: Complex table layouts with spanning
• Built-in Admonitions: NOTE, TIP, WARNING boxes
• Version Control: Plain text, perfect for Git

Practical Examples

Example 1: Simple Documentation

Input HTML file (docs.html):

<h1>User Guide</h1>
<p>Welcome to the <strong>application</strong>.</p>
<p>This guide covers installation.</p>

Output ADOC file (docs.adoc):

= User Guide

Welcome to the *application*.
This guide covers installation.

Example 2: Technical Content

Input HTML file (api.html):

<h2>API Reference</h2>
<p>Use the <code>getData()</code> method.</p>
<p>Returns: JSON object</p>

Output ADOC file (api.adoc):

== API Reference

Use the `getData()` method.
Returns: JSON object

Example 3: List Content

Input HTML file (features.html):

<h1>Features</h1>
<ul>
  <li>Fast performance</li>
  <li>Easy to use</li>
  <li>Cross-platform</li>
</ul>

Output ADOC file (features.adoc):

= Features

* Fast performance
* Easy to use
* Cross-platform

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is AsciiDoc (ADOC)?

A: AsciiDoc is a lightweight markup language for writing technical documentation, books, and articles. It uses plain text with simple syntax (= for headings, * for emphasis) and is more powerful than Markdown. Processes with Asciidoctor to generate HTML, PDF, EPUB, and more.

Q: How do AsciiDoc headings work?

A: Use equals signs: `= Document Title` (level 0), `== Chapter` (level 1), `=== Section` (level 2), etc. Can use up to 5 levels. The document title (= Title) is special and appears once at the top with optional metadata.

Q: What's the difference between AsciiDoc and Markdown?

A: AsciiDoc is more powerful and feature-rich, better for complex documentation. Supports advanced tables, admonitions, includes, conditional content, and professional PDF output. Markdown is simpler and more widespread. AsciiDoc excels at books and technical manuals, Markdown at simple README files.

Q: How do I convert ADOC to HTML or PDF?

A: Install Asciidoctor: `gem install asciidoctor`. For HTML: `asciidoctor file.adoc`. For PDF: `gem install asciidoctor-pdf` then `asciidoctor-pdf file.adoc`. Asciidoctor also generates EPUB, DocBook, and slides (reveal.js, deck.js).

Q: What are admonitions in AsciiDoc?

A: Admonitions are callout boxes for important information. Types: NOTE, TIP, IMPORTANT, WARNING, CAUTION. Syntax: `NOTE: This is important information.` They render as styled boxes in HTML/PDF output, making key information stand out.

Q: Can I include other files in AsciiDoc?

A: Yes! Use `include::filename.adoc[]` to include other AsciiDoc files. This enables modular documentation where you split content into multiple files. Great for large projects, code examples, and reusable content snippets.

Q: Does GitHub support AsciiDoc?

A: Yes! GitHub renders .adoc, .asciidoc, and .asc files. You can use README.adoc instead of README.md. GitLab also supports AsciiDoc and actually uses it for their own documentation. Both platforms render AsciiDoc files beautifully.

Q: Where can I learn more about AsciiDoc?

A: Official resources: Asciidoctor User Manual (docs.asciidoctor.org), AsciiDoc Quick Reference, AsciiDoc Writer's Guide. For books, see "Asciidoctor: Publish Everywhere" by Dan Allen. Practice with Asciidoctor.js Live Preview or AsciiDocLIVE online editors.