Markdown Editor

Type Markdown on the left, see HTML on the right.

Markdown Input
Live Preview
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Markdown Syntax Cheat Sheet

Markdown is a lightweight markup language with plain-text formatting syntax. It is widely used for creating rich text using a plain text editor, from README files on GitHub to blog posts and documentation.

Headers

# H1 Header
## H2 Header
### H3 Header

Use hashes to create headers. The more hashes, the smaller the header.

Emphasis

*Italic* or _Italic_
**Bold** or __Bold__
~~Strikethrough~~

Add emphasis with asterisks, underscores, or tildes.

Lists

1. First item
2. Second item
* Unordered item
- Another item

Create ordered lists with numbers and unordered lists with asterisks or hyphens.

Links & Images

[Link Text](url)
![Alt Text](image_url)

Links use brackets for text and parentheses for the URL. Images add an exclamation mark.

Code

`Inline code`

```
Block code
```

Use backticks for inline code and triple backticks for code blocks.

Blockquotes

> This is a quote.
> It can span multiple lines.

Use the greater-than symbol to create blockquotes.

Why use Markdown?

Common Markdown Questions

How to make text bold?

Wrap the text in double asterisks or double underscores. Example: **bold text** or __bold text__.

How to make text italic?

Wrap the text in single asterisks or underscores. Example: *italic* or _italic_.

How to create a heading?

Use the hash symbol (#) followed by a space. # Heading 1, ## Heading 2, ### Heading 3.

How to create a link?

Use the format [Link Text](URL). Example: [Google](https://google.com).

How to add an image?

Use the format ![Alt Text](Image URL). Example: ![Logo](/logo.png).

How to create a blockquote?

Start the line with a greater-than sign (>). Example: > This is a quote.

How to create an ordered list?

Start lines with numbers followed by a period. 1. Item One 2. Item Two.

How to create an unordered list?

Start lines with asterisks, plus signs, or hyphens. * Item, + Item, or - Item.

How to add inline code?

Wrap code in backticks (`). Example: `code here`.

How to add a code block?

Wrap code in triple backticks (```). You can specify a language after the first set.

How to create a horizontal rule?

Use three or more dashes (---), asterisks (***), or underscores (___) on a new line.

How to escape characters?

Use a backslash (\) before the character. Example: \*literal asterisk\*.

How to create a table?

Use pipes (|) to separate columns and hyphens (-) for the header row.

How to add a line break?

End a line with two or more spaces before hitting return, or use the <br> tag.

What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language used to add formatting elements to plaintext text documents.

Is Markdown HTML?

No, but Markdown is designed to be converted into HTML. You can also mix raw HTML within Markdown files.

What opens an .md file?

Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can open .md files. Dedicated editors provide live previews.

How to make a task list?

Use - [ ] for an empty checkbox and - [x] for a checked one.

How to strikethrough text?

Wrap text in double tildes (~~). Example: ~~crossed out~~.

How to highlight text?

Standard Markdown doesn't support highlighting, but some flavors use ==highlight==.

How to create a footnote?

Use [^1] in the text and [^1]: The footnote text at the bottom.

Does Markdown support emojis?

Most modern editors support standard emoji characters (😎) or shortcodes like :smile:.

How to center text?

Markdown does not have native alignment. Use HTML: <center>Text</center>.

How to change text color?

Markdown doesn't support color. Use HTML: <span style='color:red'>Text</span>.

What is GFM?

GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) is a dialect that adds tables, task lists, and strikethrough.

How to comment?

Use HTML comment syntax: <!-- This is a comment -->.

Link to same page section?

Use [Link Text](#header-id). Headers automatically get IDs in many parsers.

Convert HTML to Markdown?

Yes, tools like Turndown can reverse the process, converting HTML tags back to Markdown syntax.

How to sub/superscript?

Use HTML tags <sub> and <sup>, or caret (^) notation if supported.

How to embed a video?

Use an image that links to the video, or raw HTML <video> tags.

Is Markdown safe?

Markdown is safe text, but converting it to HTML can expose XSS vulnerabilities if not sanitized.

How to make a definition list?

Some flavors support Term : Definition syntax, but standard Markdown does not.

What is CommonMark?

CommonMark is a standardized spec to ensure consistency across different Markdown parsers.

How to resize an image?

Standard Markdown cannot resize images. You must use HTML: <img width='500'>.

How to create nested lists?

Indent the nested items by 2 or 4 spaces (or a tab) under the parent item.

Escape backticks in code?

Use double backticks to wrap code containing single backticks. Example: `` ` ``.

Does it support math?

Not natively. You need a parser that supports LaTeX (like MathJax), often using $...$ syntax.

Optimize Markdown for SEO?

Use proper hierarchy (H1, H2), descriptive link text, and alt text for images.

Can I use CSS?

You cannot write CSS directly in Markdown, but you can include <style> blocks if HTML is allowed.

Why use Markdown?

It is fast, readable as plain text, platform-independent, and widely supported.