Convert HTML to TOML
Max file size 100mb.
HTML vs TOML Format Comparison
| Aspect | HTML (Source Format) | TOML (Target Format) |
|---|---|---|
| Format Overview |
HTML
HyperText Markup Language
Standard markup language for creating web pages and web applications. Uses angle brackets (<tag>) and provides extensive formatting, styling, and scripting capabilities. Created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991, HTML is the foundation of the World Wide Web. Web Standard W3C Specification |
TOML
Tom's Obvious, Minimal Language
Modern configuration file format designed to be easy to read and write. Created by Tom Preston-Werner (GitHub co-founder) in 2013. Uses simple key-value pairs with strong typing. Popular in Rust (Cargo.toml), Python (pyproject.toml), Hugo, and modern development tools. Configuration Format Modern Standard |
| Technical Specifications |
Structure: Tree-based DOM structure
Syntax: <tag attribute="value">content</tag> Features: CSS, JavaScript, multimedia Compatibility: All web browsers Extensions: .html, .htm |
Structure: Hierarchical tables and sections
Syntax: key = "value", [section], [[array]] Features: Strong typing, dates, nested tables Compatibility: Rust, Python, Go, many languages Extensions: .toml |
| Syntax Examples |
HTML uses markup tags: <html> <title>Page</title> <body>Content</body> </html> |
TOML uses sections and keys: # Configuration title = "Page" content = "Content" [section] key = "value" |
| Content Support |
|
|
| Advantages |
|
|
| Disadvantages |
|
|
| Common Uses |
|
|
| Conversion Process |
HTML document contains:
|
Our converter creates:
|
| Best For |
|
|
| Programming Support |
Parsing: DOM, SAX parsers
Languages: All programming languages APIs: Native browser APIs Validation: W3C validators |
Parsing: toml, toml++, tomli libraries
Languages: Rust, Python, Go, Ruby, JS, C++ APIs: Language-specific TOML parsers Validation: TOML spec v1.0.0 compliance |
Why Convert HTML to TOML?
Converting HTML to TOML is useful when you need to extract structured data from web pages and store it as modern configuration files. While HTML is designed for rich web content with formatting and interactivity, TOML (Tom's Obvious, Minimal Language) is designed specifically for configuration files that are easy for humans to read and write while being unambiguous for machines to parse.
TOML was created in 2013 by Tom Preston-Werner, co-founder of GitHub, with the goal of being a minimal configuration file format that's easy to read due to obvious semantics. Unlike INI files which lack standardization, or YAML which can be ambiguous, TOML provides a clear, well-specified format with strong typing. TOML has gained significant popularity in modern development, particularly in the Rust ecosystem (Cargo.toml for package management) and Python (pyproject.toml for Poetry and pip).
The key advantage of TOML over other configuration formats is its readability combined with unambiguous semantics. Unlike YAML where indentation matters and certain constructs can be interpreted multiple ways, TOML has clear rules: key = value for simple assignments, [section] for tables, [[array]] for array of tables. It supports proper data types including strings, integers, floats, booleans, dates/times (RFC 3339 format), arrays, and nested tables, making it more capable than simple INI files while remaining more readable than JSON or XML.
Our converter extracts text content from HTML and structures it into valid TOML format with proper syntax. The conversion strips out all HTML tags, CSS styling, and JavaScript, creating a clean configuration file with key-value pairs organized into logical sections. The resulting TOML file uses UTF-8 encoding and follows the TOML v1.0.0 specification, making it compatible with all modern TOML parsers in Rust, Python, Go, Ruby, JavaScript, and other languages.
Key Benefits of Converting HTML to TOML:
- Modern Configuration: Perfect for Rust, Python, and modern development tools
- Readability: Clean, obvious syntax that's easy to understand
- Strong Typing: Native support for strings, numbers, booleans, dates
- Unambiguous: No interpretation issues like YAML indentation
- Structured Data: Tables and arrays for complex configurations
- Growing Ecosystem: Increasingly popular in modern development
- UTF-8 Native: Full Unicode support without escaping
Practical Examples
Example 1: Simple Configuration
Input HTML file (config.html):
<html>
<body>
<h1>App Settings</h1>
<p>Name: MyApp</p>
<p>Version: 1.0.0</p>
<p>Debug: true</p>
</body>
</html>
Output TOML file (config.toml):
# App Settings name = "MyApp" version = "1.0.0" debug = true
Example 2: Cargo.toml Structure
Input HTML file (package.html) with project info:
<div> <h2>Package</h2> <p>Name: my-project</p> <p>Version: 0.1.0</p> <p>Edition: 2021</p> </div>
Output TOML file (Cargo.toml) - Rust ready:
[package] name = "my-project" version = "0.1.0" edition = "2021"
Example 3: Database Configuration
Input HTML file (database.html):
<html>
<body>
<h2>Database</h2>
<p>Host: localhost</p>
<p>Port: 5432</p>
<p>Name: mydb</p>
</body>
</html>
Output TOML file (database.toml) - config ready:
[database] host = "localhost" port = 5432 name = "mydb"
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is TOML?
A: TOML (Tom's Obvious, Minimal Language) is a modern configuration file format created by Tom Preston-Werner (GitHub co-founder) in 2013. It's designed to be easy to read and write, with unambiguous semantics and strong typing. TOML uses simple syntax: key = "value" for assignments, [section] for tables, and # for comments.
Q: Why use TOML instead of JSON or YAML?
A: TOML is more readable than JSON (no brackets everywhere) and less ambiguous than YAML (no indentation issues, no multiple ways to write the same thing). TOML has strong typing, native date/time support, and clear syntax. It's perfect for human-edited configuration files where clarity matters more than brevity.
Q: What languages support TOML?
A: TOML has parsers for all major languages: Rust (toml crate), Python (tomli/toml), Go (BurntSushi/toml), JavaScript (toml-node), Ruby (toml-rb), C++ (toml++), Java (toml4j), and many more. Rust's Cargo and Python's Poetry use TOML as their primary configuration format.
Q: What data types does TOML support?
A: TOML supports strings (basic, literal, multiline), integers, floats, booleans (true/false), dates and datetimes (RFC 3339 format like 1979-05-27T07:32:00Z), arrays (homogeneous), and tables (nested structures). This makes it more powerful than INI files while remaining simpler than JSON or XML.
Q: How do I define sections in TOML?
A: Use square brackets for table headers: [database] creates a section called "database". Nested tables use dots: [database.connection]. Array of tables use double brackets: [[products]] allows multiple product entries. This hierarchical structure keeps configs organized and readable.
Q: Where is TOML commonly used?
A: TOML is the standard config format for: Rust (Cargo.toml for package management), Python (pyproject.toml for Poetry/pip), Hugo static site generator, Alacritty terminal emulator, GitLab CI, Netlify, and many modern development tools. It's increasingly popular for application configuration.
Q: Can TOML handle complex nested structures?
A: Yes! TOML supports nested tables using dot notation or explicit table headers. For example: [database.connection.pool] creates a three-level nested structure. You can also use inline tables for simple nesting: person = { name = "Tom", age = 30 }. Arrays of tables [[items]] allow repeating structures.
Q: How do I add comments in TOML?
A: Comments start with # and continue to the end of the line. Example: # This is a comment. Comments can appear on their own line or after a value: port = 8080 # Server port. Use comments liberally to document your configuration - TOML encourages readable, well-documented config files.