Real Python: Python MarkItDown: Convert Documents Into LLM-Ready Markdown

MarkItDown is a Python library designed for efficiently converting various file formats into LLM-ready Markdown. It supports documents, images, audio, and URLs, making content accessible for AI processing. The library can be installed using pip with the `[all]` specifier for optional dependencies. MarkItDown offers a command-line interface (CLI) with an output option to save converted text to files. Its `.convert()` method in Python handles the conversion of input documents to Markdown. The MCP server feature allows integration with clients like Claude Desktop for on-demand conversions within chats. MarkItDown can also be used with LLMs for image descriptions and text extraction via OCR. This library is ideal for fast conversions for documentation or AI pipelines, prioritizing speed and AI integration over perfect visual fidelity. For high visual fidelity and broader format support, Pandoc is a better choice. The tutorial provides code and a quiz for users to practice MarkItDown basics. Installation with optional dependencies like `[pdf,pptx,docx]` is also detailed.