Including Markdown Files in MDX: Transclusion Explained

One of the powerful features of MDX is its ability to transclude or include external Markdown files within an MDX document. This means you can maintain your Markdown content separately and then import it into your MDX files, allowing for modular and maintainable documentation.

What is Transclusion?

Transclusion refers to the process of including content from one file into another. In MDX, this means you can import a Markdown file and render its contents as part of your MDX document. This is particularly useful when you want to reuse content or maintain large Markdown documents separately.

How to Include a Markdown File in MDX

For transclusion to work correctly, your bundler must be configured to support Markdown file imports and your MDX integration must have transclusion enabled. Here’s an example of how to import a Markdown file:

import PlainMarkdown from './plain.md';

Once imported, you can render it as a component. For example:

# My MDX Document

    <PlainMarkdown />

In this example, the contents of plain.md (which might be:

# plain markdown
Some plain markdown content here...

) will be rendered directly within your MDX document where <PlainMarkdown /> appears.

Configuring Your Bundler

If you're using Storybook, you might need to enable transclusion in your configuration. For example, in your .storybook/main.js:

module.exports = {
    addons: [
{
    name: "@storybook/addon-docs",
    options: { transcludeMarkdown: true },
},
    ],
};

This configuration ensures that when you import a .md file, it is correctly processed and can be rendered within your MDX content.

Benefits of Using Transclusion in MDX

• Modularity: Keep your content organized by separating reusable Markdown sections into individual files.
• Maintainability: Update content in one place and have it reflected in every MDX file where it's imported.
• Flexibility: Seamlessly combine static Markdown with dynamic MDX components to build rich, interactive documentation.

Considerations

• Bundler Configuration: Ensure your bundler (e.g., webpack) is set up to handle Markdown imports.
• Transclusion Support: Verify that your MDX integration supports transclusion. For more details, refer to the MDX documentation on using components.
• Tool Integrations: If you're using Storybook or similar tools, check their configuration to enable transclusion as needed.

Conclusion

Transclusion in MDX is a powerful feature that enables you to build modular and maintainable documentation. By importing and rendering external Markdown files within your MDX documents, you can streamline your content management process and keep your documentation DRY.

Have you used transclusion in your MDX projects? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!

Happy documenting!