Man pages are the roff-formatted manuals behind every Unix command: .TH headers, .SH sections and Bfont escapes — the oldest documentation format still in daily use.
Typical use: Convert man pages into Markdown, HTML or Word when CLI documentation needs to live on the web or in print.
About the Man page format
The man page is Unix's oldest living document format: roff source with .TH title macros, .SH section headers and backslash font escapes like \fB, rendered by troff/groff into the terminal pages every developer reads with `man ls`. It predates most programming languages still in use — and it still ships with every Linux and macOS install.
Modern docs teams rarely author roff by hand anymore, but the format remains the entry gate for anything that must appear in the terminal. Pandoc converts man pages into Markdown, HTML or Word, freeing CLI documentation for the web — and can generate fresh roff from Markdown sources.
Strengths
- ✓ Universal on every Unix-like system
- ✓ Compactly expresses structured manuals
- ✓ Typesets beautifully to terminal and print
Limitations
- ✗ Cryptic macro syntax for newcomers
- ✗ roff toolchain is archaic
- ✗ Poor fit for rich media or web-first docs
- Structure
- roff macros (.TH/.SH, \fB escapes)
- Types / schema
- Plain text, troff grammar
- Compatibility
- groff, mandoc, Pandoc
- Best for
- CLI reference manuals
Convert Man page to…
10 direct directions plus 1 workflows, sorted A–Z; 🔥 marks popular targets.
Cross-engine workflows
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Man page file?
Man pages are the roff-formatted manuals behind every Unix command: .TH headers, .SH sections and Bfont escapes — the oldest documentation format still in daily use.
How do I convert Man page files online?
Pick a target format from the "Convert Man page to…" list below, drop your file and hit convert. Everything runs in your browser — no install, no upload, no watermark, no limits.
Is it safe to convert Man page files here?
Yes. Every conversion is performed by your own device inside the browser — files never leave for a server, and the page keeps working even offline.
Which formats can Man page convert to?
This page lists all 11 directions across documents, images, audio, video, spreadsheets and archives — each one is its own free converter page.