HashdraftMarkdown table of contents
Generate linked navigation from Markdown headings
A Markdown table of contents turns document headings into a compact set of anchor links. It helps readers scan a long README, guide, specification, or release document and jump directly to the section they need without manually maintaining every link.
Extract headings automatically
The generator parses heading tokens rather than guessing from arbitrary hash characters, then uses the visible heading text as each link label.
Choose depth and style
Include only the heading levels useful for navigation and select a bulleted or numbered list to match the document.
Create GitHub-style anchors
Heading text becomes a lowercase slug while Unicode letters, including Cyrillic, remain meaningful in the generated destination.
How to add a table of contents to Markdown
- Paste the complete Markdown document so the generator can find every heading in context.
- Choose the maximum heading depth, list style, and whether the page title should be skipped.
- Copy the generated links and place them near the beginning of the document, then test them in the final renderer.
Markdown table of contents questions
Should the H1 appear in the contents?
Usually the H1 is the document title, so skipping it avoids a link that simply repeats the page name. Include it when the destination treats it as a useful section.
How deep should the TOC go?
Two or three heading levels are enough for most documents. A deeper list can become harder to scan than the page it is meant to simplify.
