Convert MD to TOML

Why Convert MD to TOML?

Converting Markdown documents to TOML format is essential for transforming human-readable documentation into structured configuration files. When you convert MD to TOML, you're transforming a presentation-focused markup language into a configuration format specifically designed for clarity, type safety, and machine readability. This makes TOML the preferred choice for package managers like Rust's Cargo and Python's Poetry, static site generators like Hugo, and modern developer tools that value explicit, unambiguous configuration.

TOML (Tom's Obvious, Minimal Language) was created by Tom Preston-Werner, the co-founder of GitHub, specifically to address the shortcomings of other configuration formats. Unlike YAML which relies on indentation and has multiple parsers with subtle differences, TOML uses explicit [sections] and key = "value" syntax that leaves no room for ambiguity. Unlike JSON which requires strict syntax with no comments, TOML supports comments and is designed to be edited by humans. The format achieves a balance between human readability and machine parsing that makes it ideal for configuration files.

Our MD to TOML converter intelligently transforms your Markdown structure into proper TOML configuration: headers become [sections], nested headers create hierarchical sections like [package.dependencies], lists with "key: value" format become key = "value" pairs, and the converter automatically detects data types (strings are quoted, numbers and booleans are not). Plain text becomes comments to preserve your documentation. The result is a clean, valid TOML file ready to use with Cargo, Poetry, Hugo, or any TOML-compatible tool.

TOML has become the standard configuration format in the Rust ecosystem (Cargo.toml for package management), Python's new packaging standard (pyproject.toml for PEP 518), Hugo static site generator (config.toml), and many modern CLI tools like Alacritty, Starship, and pipenv. The format's strict specification (v1.0.0) ensures consistent parsing across different implementations, preventing the subtle bugs that plague YAML configurations. TOML's support for dates, times, arrays, and inline tables makes it versatile enough for complex configuration needs while remaining simple for basic use cases.

Key Benefits of Converting MD to TOML:

• Configuration Files: Transform documentation into Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml, or config.toml
• Type Safety: Automatic detection of strings, numbers, booleans, and dates
• Hierarchical Structure: Headers create nested sections for complex configurations
• No Ambiguity: TOML spec v1.0.0 ensures consistent parsing
• Developer Friendly: Comments preserved, human-editable, no indentation errors
• Tool Compatibility: Works with Rust, Python, Hugo, and modern developer tools
• Version Control: Clean diffs, easy to review changes in pull requests

Practical Examples

Example 1: Rust Cargo Configuration

Input Markdown file (package.md):

# Package
- name: my-rust-app
- version: 0.1.0
- edition: 2021

## Dependencies
- serde: 1.0
- tokio: 1.35
- clap: 4.4

Output TOML file (Cargo.toml):

# Generated from Markdown

[package]
name = "my-rust-app"
version = "0.1.0"
edition = "2021"

[package.dependencies]
serde = "1.0"
tokio = "1.35"
clap = "4.4"

Example 2: Python Poetry Configuration

Input Markdown file (project.md):

# Tool Poetry
- name: my-python-app
- version: 1.0.0
- description: A sample project

## Dependencies
- python: ^3.11
- django: ^4.2
- requests: ^2.31

Output TOML file (pyproject.toml):

# Generated from Markdown

[tool_poetry]
name = "my-python-app"
version = "1.0.0"
description = "A sample project"

[tool_poetry.dependencies]
python = "^3.11"
django = "^4.2"
requests = "^2.31"

Example 3: Hugo Site Configuration

Input Markdown file (site-config.md):

# Site Config
- baseURL: https://example.com
- languageCode: en-us
- title: My Hugo Site

## Params
- author: John Doe
- description: A blog about coding
- theme: ananke

Output TOML file (config.toml):

# Generated from Markdown

[site_config]
baseurl = "https://example.com"
languagecode = "en-us"
title = "My Hugo Site"

[site_config.params]
author = "John Doe"
description = "A blog about coding"
theme = "ananke"

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is TOML format?

A: TOML (Tom's Obvious, Minimal Language) is a configuration file format created by Tom Preston-Werner in 2013. It's designed to be minimal, obvious, and easy to read. TOML uses [sections] and key = "value" syntax with support for strings, integers, floats, booleans, dates, arrays, and inline tables. It's the standard format for Rust's Cargo, Python's Poetry, and Hugo.

Q: How does the MD to TOML conversion work?

A: Our converter transforms Markdown structure to TOML: headers (# Title) become [sections], sub-headers (## Subtitle) become [section.subsection], lists with "key: value" format become key = "value" pairs. The converter auto-detects types: numbers and booleans are unquoted, strings are quoted. Plain text becomes comments (#). The result is valid TOML ready for Cargo, Poetry, or Hugo.

Q: Why is TOML popular in Rust?

A: Rust chose TOML for Cargo.toml because it's unambiguous (no YAML indentation issues), human-readable (unlike JSON), and type-safe. TOML's clear [package] and [dependencies] sections make dependency management intuitive. The format aligns with Rust's philosophy of explicitness and avoiding surprises. Every Rust project uses Cargo.toml for configuration.

Q: TOML vs YAML – What's the difference?

A: TOML uses explicit [sections] and key = "value", while YAML relies on indentation. TOML has strict spec v1.0.0 with no ambiguity, YAML has multiple parsers with subtle differences. TOML doesn't allow tabs (prevents errors), YAML uses significant whitespace. TOML is simpler but more verbose. YAML is compact but error-prone. For config files, TOML's clarity wins.

Q: Where is TOML used?

A: TOML is used by Rust (Cargo.toml), Python (pyproject.toml for Poetry/PEP 518), Hugo (config.toml), pipenv (Pipfile), npm (alternative config), Alacritty terminal, Starship prompt, and many modern CLI tools. It's becoming the standard for developer tools configuration replacing YAML and JSON for human-edited config files.

Q: What data types does TOML support?

A: TOML supports: strings ("text", 'literal', """multiline"""), integers (42, 0x1A, 0o755), floats (3.14, 6.02e23), booleans (true, false), dates/times (2023-12-31T23:59:59Z), arrays ([1, 2, 3]), and inline tables ({x = 1, y = 2}). Our converter auto-detects types from your Markdown content.

Q: Can I edit TOML files manually?

A: Yes! TOML is designed for manual editing. Use any text editor. For best experience: VS Code (Better TOML extension), Vim (vim-toml), Sublime Text (TOML package), or Emacs (toml-mode). For validation/formatting, use taplo CLI tool. TOML's clear syntax makes it easy to edit compared to JSON or YAML.

Q: When should I use TOML?

A: Use TOML for: package configuration (Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml), application settings where readability matters, build tool configs, developer tool preferences, static site generators (Hugo), and any config requiring type safety. Avoid for: deeply nested data (use JSON), APIs (use JSON), or ecosystems locked to YAML (Kubernetes).