Asciidoctor vs Markdown: What are the differences?

Asciidoctor and Markdown are both lightweight markup languages that are widely used for writing content for websites and documentation. While they have some similarities, there are several key differences between the two.

1. Extension Support: Asciidoctor allows for more extensive extension support compared to Markdown. It has a large ecosystem of plugins and extensions that enable additional functionalities and customization options, such as support for tables, diagrams, and mathematical equations.

2. Document Structure: Asciidoctor provides a more structured approach to document formatting compared to Markdown. It allows for the creation of sections, chapters, and subsections with ease, offering a hierarchical document structure. Markdown, on the other hand, relies more on simple and flat document structure without built-in support for hierarchical organization.

3. Complex Formatting: Asciidoctor offers more complex formatting options compared to Markdown. It provides advanced features like the ability to define custom styles, footnotes, cross-references, and page breaks. Markdown, on the other hand, focuses on simplicity and provides limited formatting options, primarily for basic text styling and lists.

4. Toolchain Integration: Asciidoctor has extensive toolchain integration capabilities, allowing seamless integration with other tools and services for automated workflows. It supports the use of build systems, continuous integration, and documentation generators. Markdown, on the other hand, has more limited toolchain integrations, mainly being used as a source format for static site generators and lightweight editing tools.

5. Output Formats: Asciidoctor provides a broader range of output formats compared to Markdown. It can generate output in various formats such as HTML, PDF, EPUB, and DocBook. Markdown, by default, is primarily focused on generating HTML output, although some extensions and converters exist to generate other formats.

6. Syntax Complexity: Asciidoctor has a more complex syntax compared to Markdown. It offers more flexibility and features that require a steeper learning curve, such as attribute customization and macro expansion. Markdown, on the other hand, emphasizes simplicity and ease of use with a straightforward syntax that can be quickly grasped by beginners.

In Summary, while both Asciidoctor and Markdown serve as lightweight markup languages, Asciidoctor provides more extensive extension support, a structured document format, complex formatting options, better toolchain integration, broader output format support, and a more complex syntax compared to Markdown.