PDF3MD

PDF3MD is a comprehensive web application designed for efficient conversion of PDF documents into clean, formatted Markdown text and Microsoft Word (DOCX) formats. Built with a modern React frontend and robust Python Flask backend, it provides a seamless user experience with real-time progress updates and batch processing capabilities.

Key Features

• Advanced PDF Processing:

  • High-quality PDF to Markdown conversion
  • Clean text extraction with format preservation
  • Support for complex document structures
  • Powered by PyMuPDF4LLM for accurate processing
  • Handles various PDF types and layouts

• Modern Web Interface:

  • Intuitive React-based user interface
  • Drag-and-drop file upload functionality
  • Real-time conversion progress tracking
  • Multi-file processing support
  • Responsive design for all devices

• Dual Format Support:

  • PDF to Markdown conversion
  • Markdown to Word (DOCX) export
  • Clean, formatted output
  • Structure preservation
  • Copy-to-clipboard functionality

• Technical Excellence:

  • Python Flask backend architecture
  • RESTful API design
  • Real-time progress updates
  • Efficient file processing
  • Memory-optimized operations

• Deployment Options:

  • Docker containers with pre-built images
  • Docker Compose configuration
  • Manual setup with Node.js and Python
  • Development and production modes
  • Health checks and monitoring

Who Should Use PDF3MD

PDF3MD is ideal for:

• Content Creators converting PDFs to editable formats
• Developers extracting text from PDF documentation
• Students and Researchers converting papers to Markdown
• Writers working with PDF manuscripts
• Teams standardizing document formats

Getting Started

PDF3MD offers multiple deployment options:

Docker Deployment (Recommended)

# Using pre-built images
docker compose up -d

# Access at http://localhost:3000

Manual Setup

# Backend (Flask)
cd pdf3md
pip install -r requirements.txt
python app.py

# Frontend (React)
npm install
npm run dev

The application provides both production-ready Docker images and development environments with hot-reloading support.

Technical Specifications

• Frontend: React with Vite
• Backend: Python Flask
• PDF Processing: PyMuPDF4LLM
• Document Conversion: Pandoc
• Deployment: Docker, Node.js, Python
• License: AGPL-3.0
• Ports: 3000 (frontend), 6201 (backend)

Use Cases

• Documentation Conversion: Transform PDF docs to Markdown for wikis
• Content Migration: Convert PDFs for CMS and blog platforms
• Text Extraction: Extract clean text from PDF documents
• Format Standardization: Unify document formats across teams
• Accessibility: Convert PDFs to more accessible text formats

Unique Advantages

• Real-Time Progress: Live updates during conversion process
• Dual Output: Both Markdown and Word format support
• Modern Stack: React + Flask for optimal user experience
• Docker Ready: Simple deployment with pre-built containers
• Open Source: AGPL-3.0 licensed with commercial options available

PDF3MD combines modern web technologies with powerful document processing capabilities to provide a reliable, user-friendly solution for PDF to text conversion needs.