pandoc — Claude Code skill: convert documents between formats
A skill that hands your agent ready pandoc commands for moving documents between Markdown, DOCX, PDF, HTML and LaTeX. Useful when text has to land in Word or come out as a PDF.
npx skills add plinde/claude-plugins --skill pandoc -a claude-codeWhat pandoc does
The skill collects working pandoc invocations for the common hops: pandoc input.md -o output.docx, pandoc input.md -o output.pdf, pandoc -f gfm -s input.md -o output.html. It also ships tables of options (--toc, --reference-doc, --metadata, --pdf-engine) and the format identifiers you can pass to -f and -t: markdown, gfm, docx, pdf, html, latex, rst, epub, odt, rtf.
For HTML the skill is blunt: use -f gfm, because plain markdown merges consecutive lines and mangles lists. PDF needs LaTeX, and the engine matters — pdflatex handles ASCII only, xelatex copes with arrows and box-drawing characters, lualatex is for OpenType fonts and heavier typography. No LaTeX on the machine? There is a fallback: generate styled HTML and print it to PDF from the browser.
A short section covers getting Markdown into Google Docs through an intermediate .docx, and another covers pulling Markdown back out of Word files. Pandoc itself is not bundled. Run pandoc --version first and install it ahead of time, or the agent has nothing to execute.
What it helps with
- turn a Markdown file into a PDF
- export a document to Word with a table of contents
- move notes into Google Docs with headings and tables intact
- extract Markdown from a .docx someone sent you
- build a styled HTML version of a doc with code highlighting
Example prompts for the agent
- convert README.md to docx with a table of contents
- build a PDF from the report, 1in margins, xelatex engine
- turn this .docx back into Markdown
How to install pandoc
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add plinde/claude-plugins --skill pandoc -a claude-code2Manually: put the files in place
~/.claude/skills/pandoc/SKILL.mdCopy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/pandoc/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add plinde/claude-plugins --skill pandoc -a codex2Manually: put the files in place
.agents/skills/pandoc/SKILL.mdFor all projects use ~/.agents/skills/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add plinde/claude-plugins --skill pandoc -a cursor2Manually: put the files in place
.cursor/skills/pandoc/SKILL.mdCursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/
1GitHub CLI
gh skill install plinde/claude-plugins pandoc2Manually: put the files in place
.github/skills/pandoc/SKILL.md1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add plinde/claude-plugins --skill pandoc -a gemini-cli2Platform CLI
gemini skills install https://github.com/plinde/claude-plugins --path pandoc/skills/pandocManually: put the files in place
.devin/skills/pandoc/SKILL.mdThe legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works
Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add plinde/claude-plugins --skill pandoc -a opencodeClaude.ai
Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways
Questions about pandoc
How do I install the pandoc skill in Claude?
Run npx skills add plinde/claude-plugins --skill pandoc -a claude-code. The skill file lands at ~/.claude/skills/pandoc/SKILL.md.
What does the pandoc skill do?
It gives the agent tested commands for converting documents between Markdown, DOCX, PDF, HTML, LaTeX and other formats, plus option tables and fixes for the usual breakages.
Do I need pandoc installed separately?
Yes. The skill only supplies commands. Check pandoc --version before you start; PDF output also needs LaTeX, such as basictex or mactex-no-gui.
