Concepts

Markdown

Much of the Capacities API is also available through Markdown. You send or receive a string of Markdown instead of building blocks and text tokens by hand.

Markdown is a compressed, reduced representation of page content. It does not cover every layout and property the full API can express, but it matches how many tools and models already think about text — which makes it especially useful for AI assistants, scripts, and quick integrations.

What Markdown can do

AreaEndpointDirection
Object bodyGET /object/markdownRead — export an object as Markdown
Object bodyPOST /object/markdownWrite — create an object from Markdown
Object bodyPOST /blocks/markdown/appendWrite — append Markdown to an existing object
Daily notesPOST /blocks/markdown/daily-noteWrite — append to a daily note
Weblink notesPOST /object/url (optional markdown field)Write — notes on a new link object

Conversion follows the same rules as Markdown in the Capacities app (headings, lists, links, tags where supported). Markdown is converted to blocks when writing, and blocks to Markdown when exporting.

What Markdown does not replace

These still use the full JSON models:

  • Properties — title, tags, dates, relations, and other fields on PATCH /object (see Properties)
  • Precise block edits — updating one block by id, grid layouts, or exact token styling (Blocks)
  • Collections, delete, and metadata — unchanged; combine Markdown routes with normal object endpoints as needed

Typical pattern: create or update properties with POST /object or PATCH /object, and use Markdown only for the main body content.

Markdown vs blocks

MarkdownBlocks + text tokens
Best forLLM output, .md files, quick captureExact structure, embeds, fine-grained edits
Payload sizeSmall stringLarger JSON trees
ExpressivenessSubset of Capacities formattingFull block types and inline tokens
Round-tripGood for prose; some details may differLossless for supported block types

For AI workflows, prefer Markdown endpoints when the model produces text. Drop to block JSON only when you need a specific block type, layout, or per-block patch.

See the API Reference for request bodies and SDK samples on each Markdown route.

Are you missing something in the documentation?

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