The Ultimate Markdown Guide
Master Markdown syntax for creating beautifully formatted content
The Ultimate Markdown Guide
Markdown is a lightweight markup language that you can use to add formatting elements to plaintext text documents. Created by John Gruber in 2004, Markdown is now one of the world's most popular markup languages.
Why Use Markdown?
- Easy to learn: The syntax is simple and intuitive
- Portable: Files containing Markdown-formatted text can be opened using virtually any application
- Platform independent: You can create Markdown-formatted text on any device running any operating system
- Future proof: Even if the application you're using stops working at some point in the future, you'll still be able to read your Markdown-formatted text using a text editing application
Basic Syntax
Headings
To create a heading, add number signs (#) in front of a word or phrase. The number of number signs you use should correspond to the heading level.
# Heading level 1
## Heading level 2
### Heading level 3
#### Heading level 4
##### Heading level 5
###### Heading level 6
Emphasis
You can add emphasis by making text bold or italic.
*This text is italicized*
_This text is also italicized_
**This text is bold**
__This text is also bold__
***This text is bold and italic***
Lists
You can organize items into ordered and unordered lists.
Unordered Lists
- First item
- Second item
- Third item
Ordered Lists
1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
Links
To create a link, enclose the link text in brackets and then follow it immediately with the URL in parentheses.
[Visit OpenAI](https://www.openai.com)
Images
To add an image, add an exclamation mark (!), followed by alt text in brackets, and the path or URL to the image asset in parentheses.
Blockquotes
To create a blockquote, add a > in front of a paragraph.
> Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
Code
To denote a word or phrase as code, enclose it in backticks (`).
`code`
Code Blocks
To create code blocks, indent every line of the block by at least four spaces or one tab, or use triple backticks.
```javascript
function test() {
console.log("notice the blank line before this function?");
}
```
Horizontal Rules
To create a horizontal rule, use three or more asterisks (***), dashes (---), or underscores (___) on a line by themselves.
***
---
___
Extended Syntax
Many Markdown processors support extended syntax elements like tables, footnotes, and task lists.
Tables
| Syntax | Description |
| ----------- | ----------- |
| Header | Title |
| Paragraph | Text |
Task Lists
- [x] Write the press release
- [ ] Update the website
- [ ] Contact the media
Conclusion
Markdown is a versatile and powerful tool for content creation. Its simplicity and flexibility make it ideal for blog posts, documentation, and many other types of content. By mastering Markdown, you'll be able to create beautifully formatted content efficiently.