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Markdown inline and reference links

Convert Markdown links and images between inline [text](url) and reference [text][1] style.

Input
Output
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Markdown inline and reference links
Markdown supports two ways to write a link: inline, with the URL right next to the text — [text](url) — and reference-style, where the text points at a short label and the actual URL sits in a definition list further down. This tool converts a document between the two, in either direction, so you can switch a page full of inline links into tidy numbered references, or expand a reference-heavy document back into plain inline links for a quick paste somewhere else.
The label style controls what the reference marker looks like: sequential numbers, a slug built from the link's own text, or a custom prefix you choose. Definitions can land at the end of the whole document or right after the paragraph that introduces them, and identical URLs can be merged into a single shared definition instead of repeating one per link. A separate toggle keeps or drops the optional link title, and another decides whether image syntax (![alt](url)) is converted alongside regular links, or left untouched. Definitions can be listed in the order links first appear or sorted alphabetically by their label.
Converting back to inline resolves each reference against its definition, including the collapsed [text][] shorthand, and leaves anything it can't resolve exactly as written rather than guessing. Links and images inside fenced or inline code are skipped by default, since a code sample showing Markdown syntax shouldn't be rewritten as if it were live text — turn that off if you do want them touched. If a definition is still needed after conversion (for example an image left alone while its link neighbor was inlined), the tool keeps that definition rather than leaving a dangling reference.
Everything runs locally in your browser — nothing you paste here is uploaded anywhere. Copy the result, download it as a .txt file, or send the output straight back into the input to run another pass, such as converting to reference style and then reordering the definitions.
FAQ
What happens to a reference that has no matching definition?
It's left exactly as written. The tool only rewrites references it can resolve, so a typo in a label never silently deletes a link.
What's the difference between 'end of document' and 'end of each paragraph' placement?
Document placement collects every definition in one list at the very end. Paragraph placement inserts each definition right after the paragraph that first uses it, which keeps long documents easier to review section by section.
Does merging same-URL definitions change which links point where?
No. Merged links share one definition and one label, but every link still resolves to the same URL it always did — only the definition list gets shorter.
Will it touch Markdown examples inside code blocks?
Not by default. "Skip links inside code blocks" is on by default, so a code sample showing [text](url) syntax stays untouched; turn the option off if you do want those converted too.
Is my document uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser — your Markdown never leaves your device.