Convert HTML to TEXT

Understanding HTML and text file formats

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the standard language for creating web pages. It uses tags to structure content, such as headings, paragraphs, links, and images. HTML files are widely used for web development and are typically viewed in web browsers.

Text files, on the other hand, are simple files that contain plain text without any formatting. They are often used for storing data, writing scripts, or creating notes. Text files have a .txt extension and can be opened with any text editor.

Why convert HTML to text?

Converting HTML to text is useful when you need to extract the plain text content from a web page without any HTML tags or formatting. This can be helpful for data analysis, content extraction, or creating text-based documents.

Best software for HTML to text conversion

There are several tools and software available for converting HTML to text. Here are some of the best options:

1. Pandoc

Pandoc is a versatile document converter that supports a wide range of file formats, including HTML and text. It is a command-line tool that can be used on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

pandoc input.html -t plain -o output.txt

2. Notepad++

Notepad++ is a popular text editor for Windows that can be used to convert HTML to text. Simply open the HTML file in Notepad++ and use the Plugins → HTML Tag → Remove All HTML Tags option to remove the tags and save the file as a .txt file.

3. Online converters

There are several online converters available that can quickly convert HTML to text. Websites like Convertio and Online-Convert offer easy-to-use interfaces for uploading HTML files and downloading the converted text files.

Steps to convert HTML to text using Pandoc

1. Download and install Pandoc from the official website.
2. Open a terminal or command prompt.
3. Navigate to the directory containing your HTML file.
4. Run the following command:

pandoc input.html -t plain -o output.txt

5. Your text file will be created in the same directory.

Conclusion

Converting HTML to text is a straightforward process with the right tools. Whether you prefer using command-line tools like Pandoc, text editors like Notepad++, or online converters, you can easily extract plain text from HTML files for various purposes.