Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It lets you add formatting to plain text using simple, intuitive syntax — no HTML required. Today Markdown powers GitHub README files, documentation sites, blogging platforms, note-taking apps, and countless developer tools. If you write anything on the web, learning Markdown will save you hours.

This guide covers every standard Markdown element plus popular GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) extensions. Each section shows the raw Markdown source alongside the rendered result so you can see exactly what to type.

1. Headings

Create headings by prefixing a line with # symbols. The number of hashes determines the heading level (1–6).

2. Bold, Italic & Strikethrough

Wrap text with asterisks or underscores for emphasis. Double asterisks for bold, single for italic, triple for both. Strikethrough uses double tildes.

3. Lists

Markdown supports both ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists. You can nest lists by indenting with two or four spaces.

Unordered Lists

Ordered Lists

4. Links

Create hyperlinks with square brackets for the text and parentheses for the URL. You can also add an optional title that appears on hover.

5. Images

Images use the same syntax as links, but with an exclamation mark ! in front. The text inside brackets becomes the alt text for accessibility.

6. Code

Inline code uses single backticks. Code blocks use triple backticks (or indent by four spaces). Add a language identifier after the opening backticks for syntax highlighting — essential when documenting APIs or sharing snippets through tools like our JSON Formatter.

Inline Code

Fenced Code Blocks

function greet(name) {
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}

7. Blockquotes

Prefix lines with > to create blockquotes. You can nest them and combine with other Markdown elements.

8. Tables

Create tables using pipes | and hyphens -. Colons control column alignment. Tables are a GFM extension, supported on GitHub, GitLab, and most modern Markdown renderers.

9. Horizontal Rules

Create a horizontal line with three or more hyphens, asterisks, or underscores on their own line.

10. Task Lists (GFM)

Task lists — also called checklists or to-do lists — are a GitHub Flavored Markdown extension. Use - [ ] for unchecked and - [x] for checked items.

11. Footnotes

Footnotes let you add references without cluttering the text. Define them anywhere in the document — they render at the bottom automatically.

12. More GFM Extensions

GitHub Flavored Markdown adds several useful features beyond standard Markdown:

Autolinked URLs

GFM automatically turns URLs into clickable links — just type https://example.com and it becomes a hyperlink. No brackets needed.

Emoji Shortcodes

Syntax-Highlighted Code Blocks

GFM supports language-specific syntax highlighting for over 200 programming languages. Add the language name after the opening triple backticks: ```python, ```json, ```bash, and so on.

Best Practices for Writing Markdown

• Use blank lines between elements (paragraphs, headings, lists) for reliable parsing across different renderers.
• Be consistent with list markers — pick - or * and stick with it throughout a document.
• Add alt text to every image for accessibility and SEO.
• Validate your JSON before embedding it in code blocks — use our JSON Formatter to catch errors.
• Test regex patterns referenced in documentation with a Regex Tester before publishing.
• Generate unique IDs for examples using a UUID Generator instead of placeholder values.

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

Start Writing Markdown Today

Markdown's power lies in its simplicity. You don't need a rich text editor — any plain text file will do. Start with headings, bold, and lists. Once those feel natural, layer in code blocks, tables, and task lists. Within a few days, Markdown will become second nature.

Practice by writing a README for your next project, drafting documentation, or formatting notes. Combine Markdown skills with our free developer tools to be even more productive:

🔧 JSON Formatter 🔐 Base64 Encoder 🆔 UUID Generator 🔍 Regex Tester