Markdown vs JSON: choosing the right output for RAG

Both Markdown and JSON have a place in AI document pipelines. The right choice depends on whether you need prose or fields.

Use Markdown for retrieval

For RAG, semantic search, and giving an agent context, Markdown is ideal: it’s readable, structured, and embeds well.

Use JSON for extraction

When you need specific fields — invoice totals, contract dates, resume skills — define a JSON schema and extract structured data directly.

Why not both?

Kit for AI converts to Markdown first, then extracts JSON from that clean text. You can re-convert any saved file to the other format anytime.