Import and export

SuperDoc treats DOCX as the real document, not an export target. Load a Word file, edit it in the browser, and export a Word file again. Tracked changes, comments, and complex tables all stay intact. HTML and Markdown are useful for AI-generated content; DOCX is the full-fidelity path.

For the full reference, see Editor > SuperDoc > Import/Export.

Loading a document

Pass anything that looks like a document to the document option:

new SuperDoc({
  selector: '#editor',
  document: docxFile, // File, Blob, URL string, or config object
});

For HTML, Markdown, or JSON content, pair the alternate input with a base DOCX (used for styles):

new SuperDoc({
  selector: '#editor',
  document: blankDocx,
  html: '<h1>Title</h1><p>Content</p>',
  // markdown: '# Title\n\nContent'
  // jsonOverride: documentSchema
});

Exporting

Default superdoc.export() triggers a browser download. To upload to your backend instead, ask for the raw Blob:

// Download
await superdoc.export();

// Upload: get the Blob, send it yourself
const blob = await superdoc.export({ triggerDownload: false });
await fetch('/api/save', { method: 'POST', body: blob });

For HTML, JSON, or Markdown output, read directly from the active editor:

const html = superdoc.activeEditor.getHTML();
const json = superdoc.activeEditor.getJSON();
const markdown = await superdoc.activeEditor.getMarkdown();

Format tradeoffs

Format	Round-trip fidelity	Use it for
DOCX	Full	Real Word documents: open in Word with nothing lost
JSON	Full	Programmatic control, AI/agent input/output
HTML	Structure only (no CSS)	Web content, AI-generated HTML
Markdown	Structure only	Documentation, simple AI input

DOCX preserves tracked changes, comments, complex tables, and section breaks. HTML and Markdown are structure-first: they don’t preserve Word-specific formatting.

What should I store in my backend?

Store the DOCX blob if you want full fidelity (recommended). Store JSON if you want programmatic search/diff and don’t need round-tripping with Word users. Don’t store HTML or Markdown unless you accept losing fidelity.

Common pitfalls

• Duplicate downloads. superdoc.export() triggers a browser download by default. If you want to upload to a backend, pass { triggerDownload: false }: otherwise you get the file twice.
• HTML import without a base DOCX. The html and markdown options need a document (a base .docx) for styles. Without one, headings and lists fall back to defaults.
• HTML round-trips lose styling. Importing HTML, exporting DOCX, and then importing the resulting HTML back will not produce the original Word styling. For round-tripping, use DOCX or JSON.

Where to next

• Editor > SuperDoc > Import/Export: full API reference (every option, every export flag)
• Editor > SuperDoc > Configuration: document, html, markdown, jsonOverride config
• Editor > SuperDoc > Methods: superdoc.export(), getHTML(), getJSON(), getMarkdown()
• Document Engine: server-side import/export via SDKs and CLI
• Editor > Collaboration > Storage: persistence patterns for collaborative docs