Extract Markdown Links Before Checking Docs or Migrations

Introduction

Markdown files collect links over time: internal docs, GitHub issues, API references, product pages, and images. Before a migration or cleanup pass, it helps to pull those links into one list.

The Markdown Link Extractor is a focused helper for drafts, READMEs, changelogs, and docs pages.

Real-world scenario

You are moving a README into a docs site. Before editing the content, extract every Markdown link, check which ones are internal, and decide which links need redirects or updated anchors.

Example

Workflow:

1. Paste the Markdown draft.
2. Extract links.
3. Remove duplicates.
4. Check internal routes separately from external URLs.
5. Preview the cleaned Markdown before publishing.

Processing is handled in the browser for this tool based on the current public implementation. Avoid entering private drafts unless you have reviewed the implementation.

Common mistakes

Checking only visible text. Markdown links can hide long or outdated URLs.

Ignoring image links. Image references may break during migration.

Treating extraction as validation. Extracted links still need route or HTTP checks.

Practical QA pass

After extraction, test the most important internal links and any external references that affect user trust. Keep a migration note for changed URLs.

For large documentation moves, group extracted links by type: internal routes, images, GitHub references, API docs, and external sources. Each group usually needs a different checking method and owner.

Extraction gives you the list; it does not prove the destination is correct.

Extra review before publishing

After the first extraction, run a second pass after editing the Markdown. It is common to fix one old link while accidentally introducing another broken relative path, especially during README-to-docs migrations.

If the content will move into a static site, check anchors separately. A link like #installation may work in GitHub Markdown but fail in a framework that generates different heading IDs.

For docs with many relative links, test from the final route, not only from the source Markdown file. Relative paths can change meaning after folder moves.

Keep a short redirect note for any links you intentionally change.

Handoff boundary

When sharing extracted Markdown links, separate inline links, image references, anchors, and raw URLs. A broken image path has a different owner than a deprecated API reference or a moved docs route. Add the source file path beside each group so the editor can fix links without searching the whole repository again.

This keeps migration work traceable.

Next steps

• Markdown Link Extractor — pull links from Markdown
• Markdown Preview — preview the edited page
• Sitemap URL Checker — review sitemap entries after publishing