Markdown to PDF with Transloadit
Use this for
- One local Markdown file to one local PDF file
- Keeping the PDF next to the source Markdown file
- Agent workflows where credentials may already be in the shell, a local
.env, or~/.transloadit/credentials
Inputs
- Absolute path to a local
.mdfile - Optional output path; default is the same path with
.pdf
Workflow
- Confirm the Markdown input file exists and resolve it to an absolute path.
- Derive the output path beside it unless the user gave a different
.pdftarget. - Let the CLI resolve auth automatically in this order:
- Shell environment variables - The current working directory .env only - ~/.transloadit/credentials If your .env lives in a parent directory, export the variables into the shell first.
- Run the conversion with the official CLI:
npx -y @transloadit/node markdown pdf --input /ABS/PATH/file.md --output /ABS/PATH/file.pdfNotes
- Prefer
@transloadit/node; it is the official CLI route and exposesmarkdown pdf. - When no
--outputis provided, the CLI writes the PDF next to the Markdown file by default. - Prefer
~/.transloadit/credentialsas the default fallback when you want a reusable user-level setup. - A current-directory
.envstill takes precedence, so avoid it when deterministic account selection matters. - If credentials only exist in a repo-root
.env, run the command from that directory or export the variables first. - Keep the secret server-side or local-only; never move
TRANSLOADIT_SECRETinto browser code. - After conversion, confirm the PDF exists at the expected output path.