baoyu-url-to-markdown_skill

Overview

This skill fetches any public or authenticated webpage using Chrome DevTools Protocol and converts the rendered HTML into clean, readable Markdown with YAML front matter. It supports an automatic capture on page load or a wait-for-user mode for login workflows and lazy-loaded content. Outputs are written to a structured directory with conflict-safe filenames and useful metadata.

How this skill works

The tool launches Chrome (configurable via environment variables) and navigates to the target URL, letting JavaScript fully execute before capturing the DOM. In auto mode it captures on network idle; in wait mode it pauses and waits for a user signal to capture pages that require interaction or login. The script extracts metadata (title, description, author, published date) and converts the page to Markdown, then writes a YAML front matter block followed by the markdown content to a timestamped file path.

When to use it

• Save a public article or blog post as Markdown for offline reading or note-taking.
• Archive a page that requires authentication by using wait mode to log in first.
• Capture pages with heavy client-side rendering or lazy-loaded content.
• Automate periodic harvesting of pages while preserving metadata and readable formatting.

Best practices

• Use auto mode for static public pages; use --wait for login, paywalls, or infinite-scroll content.
• Set URL_CHROME_PATH if the environment cannot find a compatible Chrome/Chromium binary.
• Increase --timeout for slow networks or pages with large resources.
• Provide an explicit -o path when you need a specific filename or location.
• Check and optionally override defaults via the local or user extend file for output locations and modes.

Example use cases

• Quickly convert a news article to Markdown for inclusion in a notes repository.
• Log into a member-only site, run with --wait, then press Enter to capture the post-login content.
• Batch-capture dynamically rendered documentation pages that require running client-side scripts.
• Save a marketing landing page with preserved metadata and a readable markdown version for analysis.