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Confluence Markdown vs WYSIWYG Editor FAQ: Which to Use?

· 12 min read
NGPilot
NGPilot
NGPilot

Confluence has been the go-to knowledge base and documentation platform for thousands of organizations. At its core, Confluence uses a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor that lets users format content visually -- clicking toolbar buttons for headings, bold text, tables, and macros without writing a single line of markup.

But an increasing number of teams are asking a different question: can we write Confluence content in Markdown instead?

Markdown is a lightweight plain-text formatting syntax originally created by John Gruber in 2004. It has become the default writing format for developers, technical writers, and content teams who work with Git repositories, static site generators, and API documentation. Its appeal is simple: you focus on structure and meaning rather than visual styling, and the formatted output is generated automatically.

Teams choose Markdown over WYSIWYG for several compelling reasons. Developer-heavy teams often already write in Markdown daily -- in README files, pull request descriptions, and documentation repos. Switching to a WYSIWYG editor for Confluence pages feels like a step backward. Markdown content is also plain text, which means it works seamlessly with version control systems like Git, diff tools, and automated pipelines. Finally, Markdown files are portable; the same .md file can be published to GitHub, a static site, or a Confluence page without reformatting.

On the other hand, WYSIWYG editing remains the better choice for non-technical users who prefer visual feedback, drag-and-drop file attachments, and toolbar-driven formatting. Many business teams have no interest in learning syntax rules, no matter how lightweight.

This FAQ addresses the most common questions teams have when evaluating Markdown versus WYSIWYG editing in Confluence, and explains how Enhanced Markdown for Confluence by NGPILOT bridges the gap between both worlds.

Can I use Markdown in Confluence?​

Out of the box, Confluence does not provide a native Markdown editor. The built-in editor is entirely WYSIWYG, with formatting applied through toolbar buttons, keyboard shortcuts, and slash commands. While Confluence can display Markdown content that has been imported or embedded, there is no first-party way to write and edit pages in Markdown syntax directly.

This is where third-party apps fill the gap. Enhanced Markdown for Confluence by NGPILOT adds a full-featured Markdown editor directly inside Confluence. It provides both a raw Markdown mode and a WYSIWYG mode powered by Toast UI Editor, so you can switch between writing raw Markdown and a visual editing experience depending on your preference.

The editor supports standard Markdown syntax including headings, bold and italic text, ordered and unordered lists, links, images, blockquotes, and horizontal rules. Beyond the basics, it handles GitHub Flavored Markdown extensions such as tables, task lists with checkboxes, strikethrough text, and fenced code blocks with language-specific syntax highlighting.

This means developers can write content in the same Markdown syntax they already use in GitHub, VS Code, and documentation toolchains -- and publish it directly to Confluence without any manual conversion.

When should I use Markdown instead of the WYSIWYG editor?​

Choosing between Markdown and WYSIWYG depends on your team, your content, and your workflow. Here are the scenarios where Markdown is the stronger choice:

  • Technical documentation and API references. Markdown is purpose-built for structured technical content. Code blocks, inline code, tables, and heading hierarchies map naturally to API docs, runbooks, and architecture decision records.
  • Version-controlled content. If your documentation lives in a Git repository and flows through pull requests, Markdown is the ideal format. Plain-text files diff cleanly, making it easy to review changes line by line. WYSIWYG content stored in Confluence's storage format is XML-based and nearly impossible to diff meaningfully.
  • Developer-oriented teams. Developers write Markdown constantly -- in README files, commit messages, pull request descriptions, and Jira comments. Forcing them into a WYSIWYG editor for Confluence pages adds friction. Markdown lets them stay in the writing mode they already know.
  • Content reuse and automation. Markdown files can be generated from templates, populated by scripts, and processed by CI/CD pipelines. This is far more difficult with WYSIWYG content that lives inside Confluence's proprietary format.
  • Cross-platform publishing. A single Markdown file can be published to Confluence, a static website, GitHub Pages, or npm documentation packages without rewriting.

Conversely, WYSIWYG is the better fit when your contributors are non-technical business users, when pages rely heavily on Confluence macros and dynamic content, or when drag-and-drop file embedding is a core part of the workflow.

Do Confluence macros work inside Markdown content?​

One of the most common concerns about adopting Markdown in Confluence is macro compatibility. Confluence macros -- such as info panels, tables of contents, code blocks, and status indicators -- are a core part of many teams' documentation workflows. If Markdown content cannot use macros, the value proposition drops significantly.

Enhanced Markdown for Confluence addresses this by providing a macro syntax that maps to commonly used Confluence macros. Rather than inserting macros through a visual dialog, you write them inline in your Markdown using a concise, readable syntax. For example, you can create an info panel, a warning callout, or a table of contents macro directly in your Markdown source.

The most frequently used macros have direct Markdown equivalents or first-class integration. These include info, tip, note, and warning panels for callouts, table-of-contents generation for long pages, and code block macros with language-specific formatting. For macros that are not yet supported, you can combine Markdown content with native Confluence macros by using Markdown for the body content and falling back to the standard editor for macro-specific sections.

It is worth noting that the macro coverage continues to expand with each release of Enhanced Markdown for Confluence. If a specific macro you need is not supported, it is worth checking the latest release notes or reaching out to the NGPILOT team.

How do I migrate existing WYSIWYG pages to Markdown?​

Migrating from WYSIWYG to Markdown is a straightforward process, but it requires some planning to avoid disruption. Here is a recommended approach:

  1. Start with new pages. Rather than converting existing content immediately, begin by writing new pages in Markdown. This lets your team get comfortable with the workflow without risking existing documentation.
  2. Use the import and conversion feature. Enhanced Markdown for Confluence can import and convert certain content types from existing WYSIWYG pages. This handles the bulk of the transformation for standard formatting like headings, lists, tables, and text styling.
  3. For complex pages, export and convert manually. Pages with heavy macro usage, embedded media, or complex layouts may require manual adjustment. You can export the page content from Confluence, convert it using a tool like Pandoc, and then clean up the result in the Markdown editor.
  4. Always test on a copy. Before replacing a production page, duplicate it and test the Markdown version thoroughly. Verify that all formatting, links, images, and macros render correctly.
  5. Iterate in phases. Migrate one space or content type at a time. Start with the simplest pages (meeting notes, decision logs) and work up to more complex documentation sets.

The key principle is to avoid a big-bang migration. Incremental adoption reduces risk and gives your team time to develop Markdown writing habits naturally.

Will Markdown content export to PDF and HTML correctly?​

Yes. Enhanced Markdown for Confluence renders Markdown to standard Confluence storage format at publish time. This means that once a Markdown page is saved, it behaves exactly like any other Confluence page from the perspective of the platform's export engines.

PDF exports, HTML exports, and Word exports all work as expected. The rendered content flows into the export template just like WYSIWYG-authored content. Links, images, tables, and code blocks all translate properly because the underlying storage format is identical.

There are a few edge cases to be aware of. If you are using Markdown-specific macro syntax for callout panels or tables of contents, verify that these render correctly in the export format you use most frequently. Some complex nested structures may need minor adjustment. Additionally, if you have paired Enhanced Markdown with Modern Code Blocks for advanced syntax highlighting, confirm that the code block styling carries through to the exported document -- in rare cases, theme-specific highlighting may render differently in PDF output compared to the browser view.

What are best practices for writing Markdown in Confluence?​

Adopting Markdown in Confluence is most successful when your team follows a few consistent practices:

  • Keep sections short and well-structured. Use heading levels (H2, H3) to create a clear hierarchy. Each section should cover a single topic. This makes content easier to scan, search, and maintain.
  • Use code blocks with proper language tags. Always specify the language in fenced code blocks (for example, python` or javascript`). This ensures syntax highlighting works correctly and makes code snippets more readable.
  • Create reusable templates. For repetitive content types like runbooks, incident reports, or architecture decision records, create Markdown templates that team members can copy and fill in. This ensures consistency across pages.
  • Pair Markdown with Modern Code Blocks for technical documentation. If your pages contain significant amounts of code, Enhanced Markdown for Confluence works seamlessly with Modern Code Blocks for Confluence to deliver advanced syntax highlighting for over 85 programming languages, line numbering, and a Monaco-powered editing experience.
  • Preview before publishing. The WYSIWYG mode in Enhanced Markdown for Confluence lets you see how your Markdown renders visually. Always review the rendered output before saving, especially for complex tables or nested structures.
  • Establish team conventions. Agree on style details like how to format filenames (backticks or bold), whether to use ATX-style headings (the # prefix), and how to handle long links (inline or reference-style). Consistency matters more than the specific choice.

Markdown vs WYSIWYG: Comparison Table​

FeatureMarkdownWYSIWYGBest For
Learning curveLow for developers; requires syntax knowledgeVery low; toolbar-drivenWYSIWYG for non-technical users
Writing speedFast for keyboard-centric usersModerate; relies on mouse interactionsMarkdown for power users
Version control compatibilityExcellent -- plain text diffs cleanlyPoor -- XML storage format is hard to diffMarkdown for Git-based workflows
Live previewYes — switch to WYSIWYG mode to previewNative (what you see is what you get)Tie
Code blocks and syntax highlightingStrong -- fenced blocks with language tagsLimited -- relies on macro insertionMarkdown for technical content
Table editingWrite in Markdown syntax or use visual toolsVisual table builder with drag-and-resizeWYSIWYG for complex layouts
Image managementMarkdown image syntax; paste or drag supportedDrag-and-drop, gallery macros, resize handlesWYSIWYG for media-heavy pages
Macro supportMacro syntax for common macros (Enhanced Markdown)Full macro browser with all Confluence macrosWYSIWYG for macro-heavy workflows
Content portabilityHigh -- plain text works anywhereLow -- tied to Confluence storage formatMarkdown for multi-platform publishing
Automation and scriptingNative -- text files can be generated and processedDifficult -- requires Confluence API callsMarkdown for CI/CD pipelines
Collaboration for mixed teamsGood with live preview and intuitive syntaxExcellent -- visual editing is universally understoodWYSIWYG for cross-functional teams

When to Use Markdown vs WYSIWYG: Decision Guide​

If you are still unsure which approach fits your team, use this decision framework:

Choose Markdown when:

  • Your team is primarily composed of developers, DevOps engineers, or technical writers who already write in Markdown daily.
  • Your documentation is version-controlled in Git and flows through pull request reviews before publishing.
  • You need to generate documentation programmatically from templates, API schemas, or CI/CD pipelines.
  • Your content is heavily code-oriented with frequent code blocks, inline code references, and technical tables.
  • You publish the same content to multiple platforms (Confluence, GitHub, static sites) and need a single source format.

Choose WYSIWYG when:

  • Your contributors include project managers, HR teams, marketing staff, or other non-technical roles.
  • Your pages rely on a wide range of Confluence macros, third-party app macros, or dynamic content like Jira issue filters.
  • Drag-and-drop file embedding and visual image placement are critical to your workflow.
  • Your team has no existing familiarity with Markdown and the learning investment is not justified by the content types you produce.

Use both when:

  • Your organization has mixed teams. Technical documentation spaces can adopt Markdown while business-facing spaces stay with WYSIWYG.
  • Enhanced Markdown for Confluence supports both editing modes in the same Confluence instance, so each team can choose the approach that fits without conflict.
  • Some pages within a single space can be Markdown while others remain WYSIWYG. There is no need for an all-or-nothing decision.

The bottom line is that Markdown and WYSIWYG are not mutually exclusive. The best documentation strategy is the one that removes friction for the people actually writing the content. Enhanced Markdown for Confluence gives teams the flexibility to choose the right tool for each page, each space, and each contributor -- without leaving Confluence.