idmly
Try the converter API · early access
API · early access

An API for HTML → editable InDesign

Early access · gauging demand before the build · by Kelly Fraser, maker of idmly

idmly already converts a self-contained HTML/CSS design into a native, editable Adobe InDesign .idml — the API would put that same engine behind one authenticated POST: send a file or a public URL, get back the .idml. No browser, no upload, no manual step.

It's not live yet. I'm building it for real use cases first — so if you'd run conversions programmatically or in bulk, tell me below and you'll get early access.

The web converter is one file at a time, by hand. The API is the same conversion, made callable — for the tools and teams that need it to happen automatically, at volume, inside their own product.

What you'd build with it

The web tool serves a designer with one file. The API serves a system. The clearest fits:

  • →AI & design tools. Your product generates HTML layouts — reports, decks, one-pagers. Today your users export a screenshot or a flat PDF. With the API you hand them a real, editable InDesign file. The whole premise of idmly is "AI design → InDesign"; the API is how other tools plug into that.
  • →Agencies & studios with a pipeline. A folder of HTML designs, or a templated report run weekly, converted in one batch instead of one upload at a time.
  • →SaaS that generates documents. Invoices, brochures, catalogues, certificates — give customers an InDesign-editable version as an export option, server-side.
  • →Publishers automating layout. Push templated HTML through to .idml as a step in an existing content workflow.

What it'll probably look like

Not final — this is the shape I'm planning, and your feedback moves it. One endpoint, an API key, a file or a URL in, an .idml out:

# a self-contained HTML design → editable .idml
curl -X POST https://api.idmly.com/v1/convert \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer idmly_live_…" \
  -F "file=@report.html" \
  -o report.idml

# …or straight from a hosted URL
curl -X POST https://api.idmly.com/v1/convert \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer idmly_live_…" \
  -d "url=https://yoursite.com/report.html" \
  -o report.idml

Same engine as the site, so the output is identical: real text frames, named paragraph and character styles, editable vector charts and tables, and images placed and linked. Not a flattened PDF, not a screenshot — a native InDesign document.

Get early access

Two things decide whether — and how fast — this gets built: how many people want it, and what they'd actually run through it. Tell me both. The volume line genuinely shapes the pricing.

No spam. You'll hear from me directly when there's an endpoint to try — with early-access pricing. Just need to convert one file? Use the free converter instead.

Frequently asked questions

Is the idmly API available yet?
Not yet — it's in early access while I gauge demand and real use cases before building it. Join the list above and you'll get an email the moment there's an endpoint to try, with early-access pricing.
What would the API do?
Send a self-contained HTML file, or a public URL to one, in a single authenticated POST, and get back a native, editable .idml — the exact same conversion engine the website runs, with no browser and no manual upload.
Who is it for?
Teams that need conversion programmatically or at scale: AI and design tools that want to give users an editable InDesign file, agencies with batch pipelines, SaaS products that generate documents, and publishers automating layout. Converting the odd file by hand? The free web converter is the better fit.
How will it be priced?
Not finalized. The plan is usage-based or tiered by volume — separate from the $49 one-time web license — with early-access pricing for people on the waitlist. Telling me your expected monthly volume when you sign up directly shapes it.
Will the output match the web tool?
Yes, identical. The API calls the same engine as the site, so you get the same native, editable .idml: real text frames, named styles, editable vector charts and tables, linked images. What IDML is →
Can I convert at scale today, before the API ships?
The web converter does one design at a time and is great for occasional conversions. For batch or programmatic work there's no public endpoint yet — join the early-access list so it gets built around your use case.

Related guides

How to convert HTML/CSS to InDesign→ Convert a design straight from its URL (beta)→ How to convert an AI-generated design to InDesign→ How to keep fonts and charts editable in InDesign→ What is IDML, and how it differs from a PDF→

Need it for one file, not a pipeline?

The web converter turns any HTML/CSS design into an editable InDesign file — first two pages free, no signup.

Open the converter — free → Request API access