What is a Markdown table of contents?

A Markdown table of contents (TOC) is a list of links at the top of your document that lets readers jump directly to any section. Each entry is linked to the corresponding heading using anchor links — the same mechanism used on GitHub READMEs and documentation sites.

What is the difference between GitHub and GitLab TOC styles?

Both styles produce clickable anchor links, but they handle special characters differently. GitHub lowercases headings and replaces spaces with hyphens, dropping most punctuation. GitLab follows a similar approach but has subtle differences with certain Unicode characters. Use the 'Plain Text' style if you only want indented text without hyperlinks.

Why does my heading not appear in the TOC?

The most common reason is that the heading is inside a fenced code block (``` or ~~~). The generator correctly ignores headings inside code blocks since they are code examples, not real document structure. Also check that the heading level falls within your selected H1–H6 range.

Can I control which heading levels are included?

Yes. Use the 'Heading Range' selectors to set the minimum and maximum levels. For example, setting H2–H4 will exclude top-level H1 titles (usually the document title) and deep H5/H6 sub-headings, keeping your TOC focused and readable.

Is this tool free and does it store my Markdown?

Completely free, no sign-up needed. All processing runs in your browser — nothing is sent to any server. Your Markdown content stays private on your device.

Markdown TOC Generator

Automatically generate a table of contents from your Markdown headings. Supports GitHub, GitLab link styles, custom heading depth range, and one-click insertion.

Link Style:

Heading Range:–

Markdown Input

0 headings found

How to Use

Automatically generate a table of contents from your Markdown headings. Supports GitHub, GitLab link styles, custom heading depth range, and one-click insertion.

1Paste your Markdown document into the input area, or click 'Load sample' to try it.
2Choose a link style: GitHub (most common), GitLab, or Plain Text (no links).
3Set the heading range — e.g. H2 to H4 — to exclude the document title and deep sub-headings.
4The table of contents generates instantly as you type or adjust settings.
5Click 'Copy TOC' to copy it, or 'Insert into document' to prepend it automatically.

Key Features

GitHub and GitLab anchor link styles supported
Customizable heading range (H1–H6)
Automatically ignores headings inside fenced code blocks
One-click insert into your Markdown document
Live preview of the generated heading structure

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More

Markdown Table of Contents Generator: Auto-Link Your Docs