Convert Markdown to Textile

Why Convert Markdown to Textile?

Converting Markdown to Textile is essential when migrating content to platforms that use Textile as their primary markup language, such as Redmine or Trac. While Markdown dominates the modern web, Textile remains the preferred format in many project management and issue tracking systems, particularly in enterprise environments running Redmine instances.

Textile, created by Dean Allen in 2002, offers features that standard Markdown lacks, including built-in CSS class and ID attributes, table row/column spanning, footnotes, and fine-grained typographic controls. These capabilities make Textile particularly useful for project documentation that requires precise formatting and styling beyond what basic Markdown provides.

The conversion process maps Markdown syntax elements to their Textile equivalents: headings (# to h1.), bold (**text** to *text*), italic (*text* to _text_), links, lists, code blocks, and more. While most elements have direct counterparts, some Markdown extensions like task lists may need special handling during conversion.

Key Benefits of Converting Markdown to Textile:

• Redmine Compatibility: Publish content directly in Redmine wikis and issues
• Rich Typography: Access Textile's advanced typographic features
• CSS Attributes: Add CSS classes and IDs directly in markup
• Table Spanning: Create complex tables with row and column spans
• Footnotes: Use built-in footnote support in Textile
• Enterprise Integration: Integrate with Textile-based enterprise tools
• Content Migration: Move documentation from GitHub to Redmine

Practical Examples

Example 1: Heading and Text Formatting

Input Markdown file (document.md):

# Project Overview
## Getting Started

This is **bold text** and *italic text*.
Here is a [link](https://example.com).

- Item one
- Item two
- Item three

Output Textile file (document.textile):

h1. Project Overview
h2. Getting Started

This is *bold text* and _italic text_.
Here is a "link":https://example.com.

* Item one
* Item two
* Item three

Example 2: Code and Blockquotes

Input Markdown file (readme.md):

## Installation

> Note: Requires Python 3.8+

```python
pip install mypackage
```

Inline code: `config.yml`

Output Textile file (readme.textile):

h2. Installation

bq. Note: Requires Python 3.8+

bc. pip install mypackage

Inline code: @config.yml@

Example 3: Tables and Images

Input Markdown file (report.md):

| Feature | Status |
|---------|--------|
| Login   | Done   |
| Search  | WIP    |

![Logo](logo.png)

Output Textile file (report.textile):

|_. Feature |_. Status |
| Login     | Done     |
| Search    | WIP      |

!logo.png(Logo)!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is Textile format?

A: Textile is a lightweight markup language created by Dean Allen in 2002. It generates HTML from plain text with a concise, expressive syntax. Textile is widely used in Redmine, Trac, and some content management systems. It offers features like CSS class attributes, footnotes, and advanced table formatting.

Q: Why would I convert Markdown to Textile?

A: The most common reason is migrating content to platforms that use Textile natively, such as Redmine project management systems or Trac issue trackers. If your organization uses Redmine for wikis and issue tracking, converting Markdown documentation to Textile ensures native compatibility.

Q: Will all Markdown formatting be preserved?

A: Most standard Markdown formatting converts cleanly to Textile, including headings, bold, italic, links, images, lists, code blocks, and blockquotes. Some GitHub Flavored Markdown extensions like task lists and syntax-highlighted code blocks may require manual adjustment after conversion.

Q: How does bold/italic syntax differ between Markdown and Textile?

A: In Markdown, bold uses **double asterisks** and italic uses *single asterisks*. In Textile, bold uses *single asterisks* and italic uses _underscores_. This difference in conventions is automatically handled during conversion.

Q: Can Textile do things that Markdown cannot?

A: Yes! Textile supports CSS class and ID attributes on elements (e.g., p(classname). text), table row and column spanning, footnotes, and more granular typographic controls. These features make Textile more expressive for certain use cases, particularly in web content management.

Q: Is Textile still actively used?

A: While Markdown has become more popular overall, Textile remains actively used in Redmine (one of the most popular open-source project management tools), Trac, and some Ruby on Rails applications. Many organizations running Redmine continue to use Textile as their primary markup format.

Q: How are tables handled in the conversion?

A: Markdown tables (GFM style) are converted to Textile table syntax. Textile uses |_. for header cells and | for regular cells. Textile tables support additional features like row/column spanning and alignment that can be added after conversion if needed.

Q: Can I convert Textile back to Markdown?

A: Yes, you can use our Textile to Markdown converter for the reverse conversion. The process is bidirectional, though some Textile-specific features like CSS attributes may not have direct Markdown equivalents and may be lost in the reverse conversion.