Convert Markdown to Wiki

Why Convert Markdown to Wiki?

Converting Markdown to MediaWiki markup is essential when publishing content to Wikipedia, corporate wikis, or any platform running MediaWiki software. While Markdown is the standard for developer documentation on GitHub and GitLab, MediaWiki markup is required for the world's largest collaborative knowledge base and thousands of wiki installations worldwide.

MediaWiki markup, developed alongside the MediaWiki software that powers Wikipedia, offers features specifically designed for encyclopedic and collaborative content. These include internal wiki links, categories, templates with parameters, automatic table of contents generation, references and citations, and parser functions for dynamic content. These capabilities make it far more powerful than Markdown for wiki-style content.

The conversion maps Markdown elements to their MediaWiki equivalents: headings (# to = signs), bold (**text** to '''text'''), italic (*text* to ''text''), links, lists, tables, and code blocks. MediaWiki's table syntax using {| and |} is more verbose but supports advanced features like row spanning, column spanning, and CSS styling.

Key Benefits of Converting Markdown to Wiki:

• Wikipedia Publishing: Publish content directly to Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects
• Corporate Wikis: Add content to MediaWiki-based knowledge bases
• Internal Linking: Take advantage of MediaWiki's wiki linking system
• Templates: Use MediaWiki templates for consistent formatting
• Categories: Organize content with MediaWiki categories
• References: Add proper citations using MediaWiki's reference system
• Collaboration: Enable wiki-style collaborative editing

Practical Examples

Example 1: Basic Content Conversion

Input Markdown file (article.md):

# Python Programming

**Python** is a high-level programming language.

## Features
- Easy to learn
- Dynamic typing
- Large standard library

See [official site](https://python.org).

Output Wiki file (article.wiki):

= Python Programming =

'''Python''' is a high-level programming language.

== Features ==
* Easy to learn
* Dynamic typing
* Large standard library

See [https://python.org official site].

Example 2: Table Conversion

Input Markdown file (comparison.md):

## Language Comparison

| Language | Year | Typing   |
|----------|------|----------|
| Python   | 1991 | Dynamic  |
| Java     | 1995 | Static   |
| Rust     | 2010 | Static   |

Output Wiki file (comparison.wiki):

== Language Comparison ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Language !! Year !! Typing
|-
| Python || 1991 || Dynamic
|-
| Java || 1995 || Static
|-
| Rust || 2010 || Static
|}

Example 3: Links and Images

Input Markdown file (guide.md):

## Getting Started

Read the [documentation](https://docs.example.com).

> **Note:** This requires version 3.0+

![Architecture Diagram](arch.png)

`config.yml` is the main configuration file.

Output Wiki file (guide.wiki):

== Getting Started ==

Read the [https://docs.example.com documentation].

{{Quote|'''Note:''' This requires version 3.0+}}

[[File:arch.png|Architecture Diagram]]

config.yml is the main configuration file.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is MediaWiki markup?

A: MediaWiki markup (wikitext) is the formatting language used by MediaWiki software, which powers Wikipedia and thousands of other wikis. It uses symbols like = for headings, ''' for bold, '' for italic, [[ ]] for internal links, and {| |} for tables. It supports templates, categories, references, and many features designed for collaborative encyclopedic content.

Q: Can I paste converted content directly into Wikipedia?

A: Yes! The converted MediaWiki markup can be pasted directly into the source editor of any MediaWiki-based wiki, including Wikipedia. However, Wikipedia has specific style guidelines (Manual of Style) that may require additional formatting adjustments for published articles.

Q: How are Markdown links converted to wiki links?

A: External Markdown links like [text](url) become [url text] in MediaWiki syntax. For internal wiki pages, you can manually change them to [[Page Name]] format after conversion. MediaWiki distinguishes between internal links ([[...]]) and external links ([...]).

Q: How are tables handled in the conversion?

A: Markdown's pipe-based tables are converted to MediaWiki's table syntax using {| for table start, |} for table end, |- for row separators, ! for header cells, and | for regular cells. MediaWiki tables support additional features like CSS styling, spanning, and sortable columns.

Q: Will code blocks be preserved?

A: Yes! Markdown fenced code blocks (```) are converted to MediaWiki's source or syntaxhighlight tags, which support syntax highlighting for many programming languages. Inline code backticks are converted to the code HTML tag.

Q: What wiki platforms support this format?

A: MediaWiki markup is supported by Wikipedia, Wiktionary, and all Wikimedia projects, Fandom (formerly Wikia) gaming and entertainment wikis, corporate MediaWiki installations, and any wiki running MediaWiki software. It is the most widely used wiki markup language in the world.

Q: How do headings differ between Markdown and MediaWiki?

A: Markdown uses # symbols before the heading text (# H1, ## H2, etc.), while MediaWiki uses = signs on both sides of the heading text (= H1 =, == H2 ==, etc.). The conversion automatically handles this syntax difference. In MediaWiki, headings also automatically generate a table of contents.

Q: Can I convert MediaWiki markup back to Markdown?

A: Yes, you can use our Wiki to Markdown converter for the reverse conversion. However, some MediaWiki-specific features like templates, categories, parser functions, and internal links may not have direct Markdown equivalents and will need special handling.