# Avoid using Markdownify **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [June 3, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530 "2020-06-03T22:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AceBerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AceBerry](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/AceBerry)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/1 "2020-06-03T22:46:19Z")
In the step by step guide: > **[Collections](https://jekyllrb.com/docs/step-by-step/09-collections/)** > > Let’s look at fleshing out authors so each author has their own page with a blurb and the posts they’ve published. it says that the filter markdownify is necessary when not using {{content}} in a layout. Also in the filter guide: > **[Liquid Filters](https://jekyllrb.com/docs/liquid/filters/)** > > All of the standard Liquid filters are supported (see below). it says it is used to convert markdown code into html. But I had some doubts about the effectiveness of this command because I tried to remove it from {{file.content | markdownify }} and it would render it anyways. Moreover I also wanted to share with you another issue I solved by removing this filter. I had a layout with some katex formulas rendering scripts. I needed them because inside this layout I would include a .md file with some katex formulas. I would include this file though the Liquid command {{file.content | markdownify}}. The fact is that with markdownify it wouldn’t render the formulas whilst it would do it as soon as I would cancel it. ---
**Author:** ![ashmaroli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@ashmaroli](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/ashmaroli)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 7:13am UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/2 "2020-06-04T07:13:34Z")
The primary indication to use the `markdownify` filter is when processing text that wouldn’t otherwise be parsed as Markdown and then converted into HTML. For example, say you a source file named `about.html` instead of `about.markdown` or `about.md`. Since the extension is `.html`, it will not be processed by Kramdown or any other Markdown processor. So if you have any Markdown content in `about.html`, either directly or via the front matter, it will not be converted to HTML unless you use the `markdownify` filter. Another scenario is using Markdown data in HTML layouts. If you have `{{ site.description | markdownify }}`, then the `description` key in your config file could point to a Markdown text and it will be rendered as HTML. ---
**Author:** ![Koos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2acd7d/32.png) [@Koos](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/Koos)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/3 "2020-08-07T14:24:10Z")
I use `markdownify` a lot in combination with custom front matter variables. Some of my templates have differently designed sections with specific headings and subheadings. I define those in front matter and use `markdownify` to get things like proper paragraphs, `` and `` in the body text. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelCurrin](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.jekyllrb.com/michaelcurrin/32/2340_2.png) [@MichaelCurrin](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/MichaelCurrin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/4 "2020-08-10T22:11:50Z")
Same for me. I have put a markdown snippet in quotes like a markdown image tag, then placed it in html file with markdownify to convert it. I also have a data file of YAML format which has some md in it which becomes plain text when rendered unless I use markdownify. Similar case to the frontmatter comment ---
**Author:** ![printf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@printf](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/printf)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/5 "2020-09-03T17:24:25Z")
> [@Koos](#): > > I define those in front matter and use `markdownify` to get things like proper paragraphs, `` and `` in the body text. Would you please talk a little more? I’m trying to `markdownify` front matter items but it seems not work with paragraphs. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelCurrin](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.jekyllrb.com/michaelcurrin/32/2340_2.png) [@MichaelCurrin](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/MichaelCurrin)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 9:00pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/6 "2020-09-04T21:00:04Z")
Can you be more specific with what is not working? If you have a multi line paragraph perhaps you need to replace line breaks with `
` tag ````auto site.description | markdownify | newline_to_br ``` You can also try using two newline filters in a row. Or move markdownify to end. Docs https://shopify.dev/docs/themes/liquid/reference/filters/string-filters ```` ---
**Author:** ![printf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@printf](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/printf)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 6:19am UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/7 "2020-09-05T06:19:01Z")
The output html I want to acheive ```auto

aaaaaa

bbbbbb

``` So I put in front matter ```auto someterm: "aaaaaa bbbbbb" ``` What I get ```auto

aaaaaabbbbbb

``` ---
**Author:** ![mmistakes](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.jekyllrb.com/mmistakes/32/2169_2.png) [@mmistakes](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/mmistakes)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 2:18pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/8 "2020-09-05T14:18:13Z")
The issue here is your YAML not the `markdownify` filter. Try this instead which uses a pipe to indicate how newlines are dealt with: ```auto someterm: | aaaaa bbbbb ``` Then `{{ page.someterm | markdownify }}` will give you: ```auto

aaaaa

bbbbb

``` Check the YAML spec for or this page that has some good info and examples on the different types of block scalars available in YAML. [https://yaml-multiline.info/](https://yaml-multiline.info/) ---
**Author:** ![printf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@printf](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/printf)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 2:23pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/avoid-using-markdownify/4530/9 "2020-09-05T14:23:52Z")
Thank you so much! That’s what I need. I know too little about YAML to know where to start search.