| name | pdf-to-structured-markdown |
| description | A universal document parsing Skill powered by Laiye ADP (Agentic Document Processing) platform, outputting high-quality Markdown. ADP leverages large model capabilities to intelligently parse 10+ document formats including PDF, images, scanned documents, and Office files, automatically converting unstructured documents into Markdown format while fully preserving heading hierarchy, tables, lists, paragraph structure, and more. Zero-configuration and ready to use out of the box — ideal for structured document reading, content migration, technical documentation organization, and LLM context preparation. |
PDF to Structured Markdown Skill
Powered by Laiye ADP (Agentic Document Processing) intelligent document processing platform. ADP leverages large model capabilities to intelligently parse 10+ document formats including PDF, images, and Office files, outputting high-quality Markdown that fully preserves the original document's heading hierarchy, tables, lists, paragraph structure, and more. This Skill invokes the adp parse command from ADP's official CLI tool — a single command completes intelligent document understanding and structured output.
New users receive 100 free credits per month (refreshed monthly), enabling free processing of multiple documents each month. ADP provides a standard commercial API that can be integrated into business systems within 1 hour.
Register now: Global | Mainland China
Quick Start Guide
Core Workflow
- Install dependencies: Install the ADP CLI tool on first run.
- Authentication setup: On first run, execute
adp config get to check credentials. If not configured, prompt the user for their API Key.
- Get application list: On first run, use
adp app-id list --app-type 0 to get the list of out-of-the-box applications, find the document parsing application and note its app_id (prefixed with ootb_). For subsequent runs, prefer adp app-id cache.
- Execute parsing: Run
adp parse local <file_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> or adp parse url <URL> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id>.
- Process results: The parsing result is returned as Markdown-formatted text, preserving the original document's headings, tables, lists, paragraphs, and other structural elements.
- Error handling: When a command fails, parse the stderr JSON to determine the error type and recovery action.
Supported Input Formats
| Format Type | Supported File Extensions |
|---|
| PDF Documents | .pdf |
| Image Files | .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .tiff, .tif |
| Office Documents | .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx |
Typical Use Cases
| Scenario | Description |
|---|
| Technical Documentation Migration & Organization | Parse PDF-format technical manuals, API docs, and product specifications into Markdown for easy import into Wiki, GitBook, Notion, and other knowledge management platforms |
| LLM Context Preparation | Parse unstructured documents into Markdown text as input context for large language models, improving AI comprehension and Q&A quality |
| Content Publishing & Format Conversion | Parse Word, PPT, and PDF reports into Markdown for direct use in blog publishing, documentation site generation, or CMS content entry |
| Historical Archive Digitization | Parse scanned documents and image-format historical materials via OCR into editable Markdown text for easy retrieval and reuse |
Scenario → Command Mapping
Single File Parsing
| User Intent | Recommended Command |
|---|
| Convert a local PDF to Markdown | adp parse local <file_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> |
| Convert a remote PDF/image to Markdown | adp parse url <URL> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> |
| Convert a Base64-encoded document to Markdown | adp parse base64 <base64> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --file-name <filename.ext> |
Batch Parsing
| User Intent | Recommended Command |
|---|
| Batch convert documents in a local folder | adp parse local <folder_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> |
| Batch convert multiple remote URL documents | adp parse url <url_list_file> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> |
Async Processing
| User Intent | Recommended Command |
|---|
| Async parse a large file | adp parse local <file_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --async |
| Async batch parse | adp parse local <folder_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --async |
| Query async task results | adp parse query <task_id> |
Concurrency limit: Free users support up to 2 concurrent document processing; paid users support up to 10
Step 1: Install ADP CLI
npm install -g @laiye-adp/agentic-doc-parse-and-extract-cli
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laiye-ai/adp-cli/main/scripts/adp-init.sh | bash
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laiye-ai/adp-cli/main/scripts/adp-init.ps1 | iex
Or download pre-compiled binaries from GitHub Releases.
Step 2: Get API Key & Authentication Setup
1. Access the ADP Portal for Credentials
We provide separate public cloud access URLs for domestic and international users. Using the nearest region ensures faster and more stable API calls.
2. Get API Key After Registration/Login
New users need to register for an ADP account first. Upon registration, you'll receive 100 free credits per month.
- After logging in, click your profile avatar to access the
API_Key entry.
3. Complete Authentication Setup
adp config set --api-key <your-api-key>
adp config set --api-base-url https://adp-global.laiye.com
4. Verify Configuration
adp config get
Notes:
- If API Key and API Base URL are already configured, it's recommended to store the configuration in environment variables to avoid repeated setup.
- If API Key and API Base URL are not yet configured, follow the steps above to complete the setup.
Step 3: Get the Document Parsing Application ID
ADP provides out-of-the-box built-in applications for document parsing — no additional configuration required.
Application Types
ADP applications are divided into two types, distinguished by the app_type field:
app_type | Type | Description |
|---|
0 | Out-of-the-box (OOTB) | Platform built-in, app_id prefixed with ootb_, ready to use without creation |
1 | Custom Application | User-created extraction applications with custom app_id |
Document parsing is an out-of-the-box application and can be queried with --app-type 0.
Query and Filter Document Parsing Applications
adp app-id list --app-type 0
adp app-id list
Find the application with app_label containing "Document Parsing" in the returned list, and note its app_id:
[
{
"app_id": "ootb_*********y2b4",
"app_label": ["Document Parsing", "Image Extraction", "OCR", "Structured Parsing", "Batch Parsing"],
"app_name": "Document Parse",
"app_type": 0
}
]
In the example above, "app_id": "ootb_******xx" is the document parsing application. app_type of 0 indicates an out-of-the-box application; 1 indicates a custom application.
Cache Application ID (Recommended)
After the first query, prefer using the cache to avoid repeated requests:
adp app-id cache
Important: Each account's app_id is unique and fixed. Unless the user manually deletes the application, the app_id will not change. It's recommended to save the document parsing app_id in context for direct reuse.
Step 4: Execute PDF/Image to Markdown Conversion
Single File Parsing (Local File)
adp parse local ./document.pdf --app-id <document_parsing_app_id>
Single File Parsing (URL)
adp parse url https://example.com/document.pdf --app-id <document_parsing_app_id>
Single File Parsing (Base64)
adp parse base64 <base64_string> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --file-name <filename.ext>
Output Description
ADP document parsing returns Markdown-formatted text that fully preserves the original document's layout structure:
- Heading Hierarchy: Automatically identifies H1-H6 heading levels and converts them to corresponding
# markers
- Tables: Automatically identifies tables and converts them to Markdown table syntax
- Lists: Both ordered and unordered lists preserve their original format
- Paragraphs: Body paragraphs preserve original segmentation and line breaks
- Image Regions: Image positions are annotated (with OCR text if available)
- Page Numbers: Multi-page documents are automatically annotated with page separators
Output Example
# Contract Agreement
## Chapter 1: General Provisions
**Party A**: Beijing XX Technology Co., Ltd.
**Party B**: Shanghai XX Trading Co., Ltd.
### 1.1 Purpose of Contract
This contract aims to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties in the software development project...
## Chapter 2: Service Scope
| No. | Service Item | Delivery Date | Amount (10K CNY) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Requirements Analysis | 2025-03-01 | 10.0 |
| 2 | System Design | 2025-04-01 | 15.0 |
| 3 | Development & Implementation | 2025-06-01 | 50.0 |
Step 5: Batch Processing & Async Mode
Batch Processing (Local Folder)
adp parse local ./documents/ --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --export ./results/
Returns a summary:
{
"total": 10,
"success": 9,
"failed": 1,
"output_dir": "/absolute/path/to/results",
"files": [
{"input": "contract.pdf", "output": "contract.pdf.json", "status": "success"},
{"input": "report.docx", "output": "report.docx.json", "status": "success"},
{"input": "damaged.pdf", "output": "damaged.pdf.error.json", "status": "failed", "error": "..."}
]
}
Async Processing
adp parse local ./large-document.pdf --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --async
adp parse query <task_id>
Two-Phase Async (Batch + Resume)
adp parse local ./documents/ --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --async --no-wait --export tasks.json
adp parse query --watch --file tasks.json --export ./results/
Command Quick Reference
adp version
adp config get
adp app-id list
adp app-id list --app-type 0
adp app-id cache
adp credit
adp parse local <file_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id>
adp parse url <file_url> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id>
adp parse base64 <base64_string> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --file-name <filename.ext>
adp parse local <folder_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --export <output_path>
adp parse local <file_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --async
adp parse query <task_id>
adp parse local <file_path> --app-id <document_parsing_app_id> --retry 2
Error Handling
When a command fails, stderr outputs structured JSON:
{
"type": "AUTH_ERROR",
"message": "Authentication error: invalid API key",
"fix": "Check your API key is correct and has not expired.",
"retryable": false,
"details": {"context": "parse"}
}
Exit Code Reference
| Exit Code | Meaning |
|---|
| 0 | Success |
| 1 | General error |
| 2 | Argument error |
| 3 | Resource not found |
| 4 | Permission/authentication error |
| 5 | Conflict |
| 6 | Partial failure (some succeeded, some failed in batch processing) |
Credits & Billing
| Item | Description |
|---|
| Document parsing cost | 0.5 credits/page |
| New user free quota | 100 credits per month, reset at the beginning of each month |
| Check balance | adp credit |
| Top-up | Log in to the ADP portal: Global | Mainland China & HK/Macau/Taiwan |
More Laiye ADP Document Processing Capabilities
PDF/Image to Markdown is just one of many out-of-the-box capabilities from Laiye ADP platform. ADP leverages large model capabilities to provide intelligent document processing solutions covering all document categories:
| Capability | Description | Typical Scenarios |
|---|
| Global Invoice/Receipt Extraction | Automatically identifies and extracts 10+ key fields including invoice number, date, amount, tax, line items; supports multi-language and multi-currency invoices | Cross-border settlement automation, expense reimbursement management |
| Domestic Ticket Extraction | Recognizes 30+ common Chinese tickets including VAT invoices, taxi receipts, train tickets, flight itineraries, fiscal invoices; supports multi-page/multi-ticket recognition and verification | Domestic ticket recognition, invoice verification |
| Order Extraction | Supports various purchase order formats; extracts order number, products, quantities, prices, logistics info | Procurement automation, supply chain integration |
| ID Card & Certificate Extraction | ADP supports 11 types of commonly used Chinese documents: ID card, HK/Macau/Taiwan travel permit, Chinese passport, bank card, household register, driver's license, vehicle registration, vehicle qualification certificate, bank account permit, business license | Account opening review, compliance checks, batch certificate data entry |
| Document Parsing | Converts PDF, images, and Office documents into structured data while preserving layout and hierarchy | Long document analysis, contract review, knowledge extraction |
| Custom Extraction | Create custom extraction applications with dedicated fields and recognition logic for non-standard documents | Enterprise-specific forms, industry-customized documents |
All capabilities above can be invoked through the same ADP CLI tool, sharing the ADP API Key and credit system.
For full capabilities, visit:
Important Notes
- Data Integrity: When using ADP output, present the returned data as-is. Do not modify, add, or remove any content during the parsing process.
- API Key Security: Keep your API Key secure and avoid exposing it to unauthorized third parties.
- File Size Limit: Maximum 50MB per file.
- Supported Formats: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .tiff, .tif, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx
- Application ID Reuse: The document parsing
app_id is unique and fixed per account. It's recommended to save it for direct reuse without querying each time.
- Markdown Quality: Parsing quality depends on the clarity and layout complexity of the original document. For best results, use high-resolution PDFs or scanned documents.
Support & Contact
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