Markdown
Markdown is a lightweight markup language that allows you to write formatted text using plain text syntax. It's widely used for documentation, README files, blogs, and note-taking. While not officially standardized, variants like GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) and CommonMark provide consistency.
Why Markdown?
- Simple - Easy to read and write, even in plain text
- Portable - Works across platforms and tools
- Version Control Friendly - Plain text works great with Git
- Widely Supported - GitHub, VS Code, Notion, Discord, Reddit, etc.
- Fast - Quick to write without leaving the keyboard
Interactive Markdown Editor
Try writing Markdown in the editor below and see the live preview:
Markdown Input
Live Preview
Basic Syntax
Headings
Heading 1
Heading 2
Heading 3
Emphasis
italic or italic
bold or bold
bold and italic
strikethrough
Lists
Links
Code
Blockquotes
This is a blockquote.
It can span multiple lines.
Nested blockquotes are also possible.
Tables
Advanced Features (GitHub Flavored Markdown)
Common Use Cases
- README Files - Project documentation on GitHub/GitLab
- Documentation Sites - Technical docs, wikis, knowledge bases
- Blog Posts - Static site generators (Jekyll, Hugo, Astro)
- Note-Taking - Obsidian, Notion, Bear, Typora
- Comments - GitHub issues/PRs, Reddit, Stack Overflow
- Presentations - Reveal.js, Marp
- Books - Gitbook, mdBook
Best Practices
- Blank Lines - Use blank lines to separate sections for readability
- Consistent Style - Choose asterisks OR underscores for emphasis, stick with it
- Reference Links - For long URLs, use reference-style links at the bottom
- Code Blocks - Always specify language for syntax highlighting
- Escape Characters - Use backslash \\ to escape special characters when needed
- Keep it Simple - Markdown's strength is simplicity; don't overuse HTML
Markdown Flavors
- CommonMark - Standardized specification for consistency
- GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) - Tables, task lists, strikethrough, autolinks
- Markdown Extra - Footnotes, definition lists, abbreviations
- MultiMarkdown - Metadata, citations, cross-references
- Pandoc Markdown - Extended features for document conversion
Tools & Resources
- Editors - VS Code, Typora, iA Writer, Obsidian, Notion
- Preview - Most editors have live preview; GitHub shows rendered README
- Converters - Pandoc (Markdown to HTML/PDF/DOCX)
- Learning - Markdown Guide, CommonMark
- Cheat Sheets - Quick reference for syntax