The markdown package makes it possible to use markdown in LaTeX documents. Now here's an example to show how markdown can be used to create posters, especially using beamerposter.
\documentclass{beamer}
%% Possible paper sizes: a0, a0b, a1, a2, a3, a4.
%% Possible orientations: portrait, landscape
%% Font sizes can be changed using the scale option.
\usepackage[size=a3,orientation=portrait,scale=1.8]{beamerposter}
\usetheme{LLT-poster}
\usecolortheme{ComingClean}
% \usecolortheme{Entrepreneur}
% \usecolortheme{ConspiciousCreep} %% VERY garish.
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{libertine}
\usepackage[scaled=0.92]{inconsolata}
\usepackage[libertine]{newtxmath}
\usepackage[numbers]{natbib}
\renewcommand{\bibfont}{\small}
\newcommand{\texthash}{\#}
%% Load the markdown package
\usepackage[citations,footnotes,definitionLists,hashEnumerators,smartEllipses,tightLists=false,pipeTables,tableCaptions,hybrid]{markdown}
%%begin novalidate
\markdownSetup{rendererPrototypes={
link = {\href{#2}{#1}},
headingFour = {\begin{block}{#1}},
horizontalRule = {\end{block}}
}}
%%end novalidate
\author[liantze@gmail.com]{Lim Lian Tze}
\title{Writing Posters with Markdown}
\institute{Overleaf}
% Optional foot image
\footimage{\includegraphics[width=4cm]{IMG_1934.jpg}}
\begin{document}
\begin{frame}[fragile]\centering
\begin{columns}
\begin{column}{0.57\textwidth}
\begin{markdown}
#### To some extent, with `markdown` package
- (Nested) bullet and numbered lists
- Text formatting (*italic*, **bold becomes italic + alerted**)
- Redefine __\texthash\texthash\texthash\texthash__ to start a block with title \linebreak
and __\texttt{-{}-{}-{}-}__ to end the block
- ___Compile with \texttt{-{}-shell-escape}___ (Overleaf does this already)
----
\end{markdown}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{.4\textwidth}
\begin{markdown}
#### Caveats
- Nothing too complicated!
- No verbatim or fragile stuff!
- No \texthash and \textunderscore{} characters!
- (I used `\texthash` and `\textunderscore`)
- Alternatives: Pandoc, wikitobeamer
----
\end{markdown}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\bigskip
{\usebeamercolor[bg]{headline}\hrulefill}
\bigskip
\begin{columns}[T]
%%%% First Column
\begin{column}{.46\textwidth}
\begin{markdown}
#### Overview
* This is the template I created for my poster presentations. [@novotny:2017]
* You can provide an optional \texttt{\textbackslash footimage}. [@novotny:2019]
----
#### Options
* It's based on \texttt{beamerposter}, so you can change some options:
size
: a0, a0b, a1, a2, a3, a4
orientiation
: landscape, portrait
scale
: a decimal number to scale the fonts
----
#### Colour Themes
- I've included some colour themes, using the colour palettes from \url{http://colourlovers.com}
* ComingClean (current theme)
* Entrepreneur (light blue + grey)
* Conspicious (a bit garish!)
----
#### Figures and images
\setkeys{Gin}{width=.3\linewidth}
----
\end{markdown}
\end{column}
%%%% Second Column
\begin{column}{.46\textwidth}
\begin{markdown}
#### This is a sample
- One, two, pick up my shoe
- Three, four, shut the door
- Five, six, pick up sticks
- Seven, eight, lay them straight
- Nine, ten, a big fat hen
- One, two, pick up my shoe
- Three, four, shut the door
- Five, six, pick up sticks
- Seven, eight, lay them straight
- Nine, ten, a big fat hen
----
#### This is another sample
- Some maths material
\begin{align}
A &= U \times S \times V^T\\
\sigma &= \frac{x\times y}{\sqrt[3]{\alpha + \beta}}
\end{align}
----
#### `pipeTables` and `tableCaptions`
| Right | Left | Default | Center |
|------:|:-----|---------|:------:|
| 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| 123 | 123 | 123 | 123 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
: Demonstration of pipe table syntax.
----
\end{markdown}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\begin{markdown}
#### This is a sample of a wiiiide column
- One, two, pick up my shoe
- Three, four, shut the door
- Five, six, pick up sticks
----
#### Bibliography
\bibliographystyle{unsrtnat}
\bibliography{refs}
----
\end{markdown}
\end{frame}
\end{document}