Markdown quick reference

May 9, 2006 software

Summary

Markdown is a straightforward, plain-text formatting tool that converts text to HTML, making it easier for web writers to format their content. Basic syntax includes headers marked by hashes (#), links formatted with brackets and parentheses, blockquotes using >, and code blocks indented by four spaces or encapsulated with backticks for inline code. Lists are denoted by asterisks (*), plus signs (+), or dashes for unordered lists, and numbered items followed by periods for ordered lists. Horizontal lines can be created with three or more dashes, while emphasis is added using single or double underscores or asterisks—for italics and bold, respectively. Special characters can be escaped with a backslash to avoid formatting. Markdown’s simplicity and readability make it a convenient choice for web writing.

I use Markdown to edit this blog.

Markdown is a text-to-HTML conversion tool for web writers. Markdown allows you to write using an easy-to-read, easy-to-write plain text format, then convert it to structurally valid XHTML (or HTML).

Markdown is based on plain text / e-mail format. Often typing something in as you would in a plain text e-mail will produce what you want. Paragraphs and line breaks are the obvious ones for the text you type. Special HTML characters like < and > and & are escaped for you.

Here’s a visual quick reference guide to the rest of the Markdown syntax. The format is simply some text and the output it produces.

Headers

# Level one header #

Level one header

### Level three header ###

Level three header

Headers continue as you’d imagine, with extra hashes.

Links

[This is a link](http://www.darkcoding.net)

This is a link

Blockquote

> This is quoted

This is quoted

Code

Indent text at least 4 spaces for all formatting in it to be ignored.

# This isn't displayed as header, because it is indented 4 spaces

Or inline:

Inline code is `escaped` with backticks

Inline code is escaped with backticks

Lists

Unordered lists use *, + or –

* This
* is
* a list

This
is
a list

Ordered lists use number followed by period.

1. with
1. numbers

with
numbers

Horizontal lines

Three or more dashes

----

Emphasis

A single underscore or asterix is italic, two is bold.

_italic_ or *italic*

italic or italic

__bold__ or **bold**

bold or bold

Escaping

If you don’t want some of these rules to apply, they can be escaped by preceding the special character with a backslash.

This is \*\*not\*\* in bold.

This is **not** in bold.

Graham King