pdf-to-markdown
Skill4 starsChanged 4 months agoMITView on GitHub
Use when research-paper analysis requires readable source or text that is not already available. Do not use for generic non-research PDFs.
- Reads credentials
14 other projects use a version of this.
Adopted by
Most recently taken up by
- pamelafox/presentation-skillstheir own version, first seen Nov 8, 2026
- neysofu/skillstheir own version, first seen Oct 30, 2026
- franklinbaldo/skillstheir own version, first seen Oct 13, 2026
- laodao-ai/laodao-skillstheir own version, first seen Oct 13, 2026
- abr4xas/skillstheir own version, first seen Oct 13, 2026
- replynodes/replynodes-agent-skillstheir own version, first seen Oct 11, 2026
Other versions14 projects use a version of this.
Word for word · 0
None found.
Edited · 0
None found.
Wrote their own version · 14
- claesbackman/AI-research-feedback★ 523same name
- Azure-Samples/python-agentframework-demos★ 248same name
- pamelafox/presentation-skills★ 129same name
- aliceisjustplaying/claude-skill-pdf-to-markdown★ 49same name
- yhbcode000/paper-share-skills★ 29same name
- replynodes/replynodes-agent-skills★ 3same name
- abr4xas/skills★ 2same name
- paulmaunders/claude-skill-pdf-to-markdown★ 2same name
- franklinbaldo/skills★ 1same name
- tbrandenburg/skills★ 1same name
4 more not listed
How matches are found. Word for word: the exact same text. Edited: shares passages with this file (“99% same” means 99% of its five-word phrases also appear here; 10% or more counts). Their own version: similar meaning, or, weakest, the same name. We can’t tell which project had it first. Projects are counted among the 200 most-starred candidates, and mentions are links to the repository we found, up to 50 per site, so both counts are a floor.
In this repository45 other files it gives its agents.
- AGENTS.mdAGENTS.md
- CLAUDE.mdCLAUDE.md
- bib-auditSkill
- bootstrap-dispatcher-runtimeSkill
- ci-debugSkill
- cloud-filesSkill
- connect-googleSkill
- daily-planSkill
- distill-to-ruttersSkill
- email-clientSkill
- email-triageSkill
- find-handoff-candidatesSkill
- formal-prose-reviewSkill
- get-weatherSkill
- git-workflowSkill
- hook-makerSkill
- initialize-tddSkill
- install-launchersSkill
- latex-workshopSkill
- list-managerSkill
- llm-wakeupSkill
- loose-modeSkill
- make-tex-docstringSkill
- math-dependency-graphSkill
- milestone-loggingSkill
- node-certifySkill
- node-driftSkill
- notation-reviewSkill
- online-calendarSkill
- prepare-handoffSkill
- proof-auditSkill
- recurring-tasksSkill
- refactor-nodeSkill
- regenerate-blueprintsSkill
- relocate-nodesSkill
- semantic-integrationSkill
- send-feedbackSkill
- setup-interface-managerSkill
- skill-makerSkill
- technical-flow-reviewSkill
- tight-modeSkill
- tool-applicabilitySkill
- update-standardsSkill
- using-compassSkill
- wrap-upSkill
The file
We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent
8 rules. 0 are common, 3 are distinctive, and 5 are very specific to this project.
0
Common
Most of the 11 edited versions we read keep these.
3
Distinctive
This author's own choices. Worth a look.
5
Very specific
Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.
- Common
- Distinctive
- Very specific
- Very specific: line 46
No arXiv ID? Search arxiv [title] [authors] via WebSearch to find one.
- Very specific: line 47
Run the scripts-fetch-arxiv-source interface with <arxiv-id> [<output-dir>].
- Distinctive: line 49
If arXiv returns HTML instead of a tarball, the paper has no source — move on.
- Distinctive: line 60
If LaTeX source found anywhere: download, extract, done.
- Distinctive: line 64
If no LaTeX source found, convert the PDF directly.
- Very specific: line 66
Before running: check whether models are cached using the scripts-check-marker-models interface.
- Very specific: line 67
If any models are missing, warn the user: "Running marker will download missing models (~3GB total to ~/.cache/datalab/models/).
- Very specific: line 73
Always specify --output_dir — the default buries output in the anaconda site-packages directory.
“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 11 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.
Files
<!-- BEGIN BLUEPRINT INTERFACES -->Generated from
blueprint.yaml. Do not edit this block by hand.
Executable Interfaces:
Send the required caller (caller skill), interface, version, and arguments; optional dry_run defaults to false. Compact uses ordered positionals plus an option mapping; ordered raw argv uses positionals: [] plus every argv token in list options. Never mix forms.
pdf-to-markdown._rtx.interface.scripts-check-marker-models— Check whether required Marker/Surya models are downloaded and cached locally.- Caller:
pdf-to-markdown - Version: 1
- Security level: 0
- Alternative:
ownerArguments JSON (replace labels with actual values). Omit optional positionals and options that are not needed. {"options": {}, "positionals": [], "stdin": null} Required options: []; positional arity: 0..0; stdin: forbidden
- Caller:
pdf-to-markdown._rtx.interface.scripts-fetch-arxiv-source— Download and extract the LaTeX source tarball for a paper from arXiv.- Caller:
pdf-to-markdown - Version: 1
- Security level: 2
- Alternative:
ownerArguments JSON (replace labels with actual values). Omit optional positionals and options that are not needed. {"options": {}, "positionals": ["arxiv-id", "output-dir"], "stdin": null} Required options: []; positional arity: 1..2; stdin: forbidden
- Caller:
<!-- END BLUEPRINT INTERFACES -->PDF to Markdown
Overview
Convert a research paper to LLM-readable text. Prefer LaTeX source over PDF conversion — LaTeX preserves math, structure, and cross-references that PDF-to-text destroys.
Step 1 — Find LaTeX source (do this first)
Input required: paper title and authors. arXiv ID if known.
arXiv (check first — highest hit rate for CS/math/econ)
- No arXiv ID? Search
arxiv [title] [authors]via WebSearch to find one. - Run the
scripts-fetch-arxiv-sourceinterface with<arxiv-id> [<output-dir>].- Script downloads
arxiv.org/src/<id>, extracts, lists.texfiles found. - If arXiv returns HTML instead of a tarball, the paper has no source — move on.
- Script downloads
- Root file is usually
main.tex; if absent, scan for the file that\begin{document}. - Done — hand
.texfiles to the LLM.
If not on arXiv — check in order
- Author GitHub: WebSearch
"[title]" site:github.com— look for a repo with.texfiles - Author personal/institutional page: WebSearch
[title] [author] latex source - OpenReview (
openreview.net/search?term=[title]) — Attachments tab, look for source zip - ACL Anthology (
aclanthology.org) — NLP venues; links to arXiv preprint when one exists
If LaTeX source found anywhere: download, extract, done.
Step 2 — PDF fallback via marker_single
If no LaTeX source found, convert the PDF directly.
Before running: check whether models are cached using the scripts-check-marker-models interface.
If any models are missing, warn the user: "Running marker will download missing models (~3GB total to ~/.cache/datalab/models/). Proceed?" Do not run marker_single until confirmed.
Standard invocation (good typeset PDF, no extra cost):
marker_single paper.pdf --output_dir ./output --disable_image_extractionAlways specify --output_dir — the default buries output in the anaconda site-packages directory.
Math-heavy paper (ask user before using — slower, better equation/table output):
marker_single paper.pdf \
--output_dir ./output \
--disable_image_extraction \
--llm_service <configured-marker-llm-service> \
--use_llm \
--redo_inline_math \
--highres_image_dpi 300Requires a configured Marker LLM backend, such as an Anthropic-backed Marker
service with ANTHROPIC_API_KEY in the environment or the matching API-key
flag. Uses the selected provider API (pay-per-token where applicable).
Other useful flags:
--page_range 0,5-10— convert specific pages only--output_format json— structured output instead of flat markdown--disable_ocr— skip OCR for faster conversion (safe if PDF has selectable text)
Does it work?
Reviews from people and from AI agents that ran it: what they used it for, and whether it worked.
No reviews yet
People and AI agents can review whether this works in practice. Say what you used it for, and whether it worked.
- It worked
- Partly
- It didn't
Using an agent? It can post a review for you after it has run the file: the MCP tool registry_write, action report. How to connect one.
Your trail
Files you open will collect here, so you can find them again.
Open two or more, and you can remix the rules you like from each into one list. Kept in this browser only.
Now do this for your own.
Bring your CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or skills. agentleFS shows which of your rules are common, which are yours and which only fit one project, and keeps one version your agents read everywhere.

