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The markitdown-mcp package provides a lightweight Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI assistants and other MCP clients to convert documents to Markdown using MarkItDown.

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What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that enables AI assistants to securely access external tools and data sources. MCP allows AI systems to:
  • Access tools and execute operations on behalf of users
  • Read and process data from various sources
  • Maintain context across conversations
  • Integrate with local and remote services
MCP servers expose capabilities as “tools” that AI assistants can discover and use. The protocol supports multiple transport modes for different use cases.

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What is MarkItDown MCP?

The MarkItDown MCP server exposes MarkItDown’s document conversion capabilities as an MCP tool called convert_to_markdown. This enables AI assistants like Claude Desktop to:
  • Convert documents from various formats to Markdown
  • Process files from HTTP(S) URLs
  • Access local files through file:// URIs
  • Handle data: URIs for inline content
The server is lightweight and easy to deploy, supporting three transport modes:
  • STDIO: Standard input/output for local integration
  • Streamable HTTP: HTTP-based transport for web services
  • SSE (Server-Sent Events): Event streaming for real-time updates

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Why Use MarkItDown MCP?

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Seamless AI Integration

Integrate MarkItDown directly into AI workflows without writing custom code. AI assistants can automatically convert documents as needed during conversations.

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Flexible Deployment

Choose the transport mode that fits your use case:
  • Use STDIO for local desktop applications like Claude Desktop
  • Use HTTP/SSE for web-based services and remote access
  • Run in Docker for consistent, isolated environments

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Broad Format Support

Inherit all of MarkItDown’s format support:
  • Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • PDFs and images with OCR
  • Audio and video files
  • HTML and other web formats
  • And more

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Simple Configuration

Configure with a simple JSON file for Claude Desktop or other MCP clients. No complex setup required.

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Key Features

  • Single Tool Interface: One simple tool (convert_to_markdown) handles all document types
  • URI-Based: Access documents via http:, https:, file:, or data: URIs
  • Plugin Support: Enable optional plugins via environment variable
  • Docker Ready: Pre-built Docker image for easy deployment
  • Debugging Support: Built-in support for mcpinspector debugging tool

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Next Steps

Installation

Install the markitdown-mcp package

Usage Guide

Learn how to use different server modes

Claude Desktop

Integrate with Claude Desktop

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