Nearly all Markdown applications support the basic syntax outlined in the original Markdown design document. There are minor variations and discrepancies between Markdown processors — those are noted inline wherever possible.
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. For example, to create a heading level three (`<h3>`), use three number signs (e.g., `### My Header`).
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle a missing space between the number signs (`#`) and the heading name. For compatibility, always put a space between the number signs and the heading name.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
| -------------------- | ------------------- |
| `# Here's a Heading` | `#Here's a Heading` |
You should also put blank lines before and after a heading for compatibility.
| `I really like using Markdown.I think I'll use it to format all of my documents from now on.` | `<p>I really like using Markdown.</p><p>I think I'll use it to format all of my documents from now on.</p>` | I really like using Markdown.I think I'll use it to format all of my documents from now on. |
| `Don't put tabs or spaces in front of your paragraphs.Keep lines left-aligned like this.` | ` This can result in unexpected formatting problems. Don't add tabs or spaces in front of paragraphs.` |
| `This is the first line. And this is the second line.` | `<p>This is the first line.<br>And this is the second line.</p>` | This is the first line. And this is the second line. |
You can use two or more spaces (commonly referred to as “trailing whitespace”) for line breaks in nearly every Markdown application, but it’s controversial. It’s hard to see trailing whitespace in an editor, and many people accidentally or intentionally put two spaces after every sentence. For this reason, you may want to use something other than trailing whitespace for line breaks. If your Markdown application [supports HTML](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#html), you can use the `<br>` HTML tag.
There are two other options I don’t recommend using. CommonMark and a few other lightweight markup languages let you type a backslash (`\`) at the end of the line, but not all Markdown applications support this, so it isn’t a great option from a compatibility perspective. And at least a couple lightweight markup languages don’t require anything at the end of the line — just type return and they’ll create a line break.
| `First line with two spaces after. And the next line.First line with the HTML tag after.<br>And the next line.` | `First line with a backslash after.\And the next line.First line with nothing after.And the next line.` |
To bold text, add two asterisks or underscores before and after a word or phrase. To bold the middle of a word for emphasis, add two asterisks without spaces around the letters.
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle underscores in the middle of a word. For compatibility, use asterisks to bold the middle of a word for emphasis.
To italicize text, add one asterisk or underscore before and after a word or phrase. To italicize the middle of a word for emphasis, add one asterisk without spaces around the letters.
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle underscores in the middle of a word. For compatibility, use asterisks to italicize the middle of a word for emphasis.
To emphasize text with bold and italics at the same time, add three asterisks or underscores before and after a word or phrase. To bold and italicize the middle of a word for emphasis, add three asterisks without spaces around the letters.
| `This text is ***really important***.` | `This text is <em><strong>really important</strong></em>.` | This text is ***really important***. |
| `This text is ___really important___.` | `This text is <em><strong>really important</strong></em>.` | This text is ***really important***. |
| `This text is __*really important*__.` | `This text is <em><strong>really important</strong></em>.` | This text is ***really important***. |
| `This text is **_really important_**.` | `This text is <em><strong>really important</strong></em>.` | This text is ***really important***. |
| `This is really***very***important text.` | `This is really<em><strong>very</strong></em>important text.` | This is really***very***important text. |
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle underscores in the middle of a word. For compatibility, use asterisks to bold and italicize the middle of a word for emphasis.
| `Try to put a blank line before...> This is a blockquote...and after a blockquote.` | `Without blank lines, this might not look right.> This is a blockquoteDon't do this!` |
## Lists
You can organize items into ordered and unordered lists.
### Ordered Lists
To create an ordered list, add line items with numbers followed by periods. The numbers don’t have to be in numerical order, but the list should start with the number one.
CommonMark and a few other lightweight markup languages let you use a parenthesis (`)`) as a delimiter (e.g., `1) First item`), but not all Markdown applications support this, so it isn’t a great option from a compatibility perspective. For compatibility, use periods only.
| `1. First item2. Second item` | `1) First item2) Second item` |
### Unordered Lists
To create an unordered list, add dashes (`-`), asterisks (`*`), or plus signs (`+`) in front of line items. Indent one or more items to create a nested list.
If you need to start an unordered list item with a number followed by a period, you can use a backslash (`\`) to [escape](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#escaping-characters) the period.
| `- 1968\. A great year!- I think 1969 was second best.` | `<ul> <li>1968. A great year!</li> <li>I think 1969 was second best.</li></ul>` | 1968. A great year!I think 1969 was second best. |
#### Unordered List Best Practices
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle different delimiters in the same list. For compatibility, don’t mix and match delimiters in the same list — pick one and stick with it.
| `- First item- Second item- Third item- Fourth item` | `+ First item* Second item- Third item+ Fourth item` |
### Adding Elements in Lists
To add another element in a list while preserving the continuity of the list, indent the element four spaces or one tab, as shown in the following examples.
**Tip:** If things don't appear the way you expect, double check that you've indented the elements in the list four spaces or one tab.
#### Paragraphs
```
* This is the first list item.
* Here's the second list item.
I need to add another paragraph below the second list item.
* And here's the third list item.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
- This is the first list item.
- Here’s the second list item.
I need to add another paragraph below the second list item.
- And here’s the third list item.
#### Blockquotes
```
* This is the first list item.
* Here's the second list item.
> A blockquote would look great below the second list item.
* And here's the third list item.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
- This is the first list item.
- Here’s the second list item.
> A blockquote would look great below the second list item.
- And here’s the third list item.
#### Code Blocks
[Code blocks](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#code-blocks) are normally indented four spaces or one tab. When they’re in a list, indent them eight spaces or two tabs.
```
1. Open the file.
2. Find the following code block on line 21:
<html>
<head>
<title>Test</title>
</head>
3. Update the title to match the name of your website.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
1. Open the file.
2. Find the following code block on line 21:
```
<html>
<head>
<title>Test</title>
</head>
```
3. Update the title to match the name of your website.
#### Images
```
1. Open the file containing the Linux mascot.
2. Marvel at its beauty.
3. Close the file.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
1. Open the file containing the Linux mascot.
2. Marvel at its beauty.
3. Close the file.
#### Lists
You can nest an unordered list in an ordered list, or vice versa.
```
1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
- Indented item
- Indented item
4. Fourth item
```
The rendered output looks like this:
1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
- Indented item
- Indented item
4. Fourth item
## Code
To denote a word or phrase as code, enclose it in backticks (```).
| `At the command prompt, type `nano`.` | `At the command prompt, type <code>nano</code>.` | At the command prompt, type `nano`. |
### Escaping Backticks
If the word or phrase you want to denote as code includes one or more backticks, you can escape it by enclosing the word or phrase in double backticks (````).
To create a link, enclose the link text in brackets (e.g., `[Duck Duck Go]`) and then follow it immediately with the URL in parentheses (e.g., `(https://duckduckgo.com)`).
**Note:** To link to an element on the same page, see [linking to heading IDs](https://www.markdownguide.org/extended-syntax/#linking-to-heading-ids). To create a link that opens in a new tab or window, see the section on [link targets](https://www.markdownguide.org/hacks/#link-targets).
You can optionally add a title for a link. This will appear as a tooltip when the user hovers over the link. To add a title, enclose it in quotation marks after the URL.
To [emphasize](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#emphasis) links, add asterisks before and after the brackets and parentheses. To denote links as [code](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#code), add backticks in the brackets.
```
I love supporting the **[EFF](https://eff.org)**.
This is the *[Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org)*.
See the section on [`code`](#code).
```
The rendered output looks like this:
I love supporting the **[EFF](https://eff.org/)**.
This is the *[Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org/)*.
See the section on [`code`](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#code).
### Reference-style Links
Reference-style links are a special kind of link that make URLs easier to display and read in Markdown. Reference-style links are constructed in two parts: the part you keep inline with your text and the part you store somewhere else in the file to keep the text easy to read.
#### Formatting the First Part of the Link
The first part of a reference-style link is formatted with two sets of brackets. The first set of brackets surrounds the text that should appear linked. The second set of brackets displays a label used to point to the link you’re storing elsewhere in your document.
Although not required, you can include a space between the first and second set of brackets. The label in the second set of brackets is not case sensitive and can include letters, numbers, spaces, or punctuation.
This means the following example formats are roughly equivalent for the first part of the link:
-`[hobbit-hole][1]`
-`[hobbit-hole] [1]`
#### Formatting the Second Part of the Link
The second part of a reference-style link is formatted with the following attributes:
You can place this second part of the link anywhere in your Markdown document. Some people place them immediately after the paragraph in which they appear while other people place them at the end of the document (like endnotes or footnotes).
#### An Example Putting the Parts Together
Say you add a URL as a [standard URL link](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#links) to a paragraph and it looks like this in Markdown:
```
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends
of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to
eat: it was a [hobbit-hole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle "Hobbit lifestyles"), and that means comfort.
```
Though it may point to interesting additional information, the URL as displayed really doesn’t add much to the existing raw text other than making it harder to read. To fix that, you could format the URL like this instead:
```
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends
of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to
eat: it was a [hobbit-hole][1], and that means comfort.
In both instances above, the rendered output would be identical:
> In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a [hobbit-hole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle), and that means comfort.
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle spaces in the middle of a URL. For compatibility, try to URL encode any spaces with `%20`. Alternatively, if your Markdown application [supports HTML](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#html), you could use the `a` HTML tag.
| `[link](https://www.example.com/my%20great%20page)<a href="https://www.example.com/my great page">link</a>` | `[link](https://www.example.com/my great page)` |
## 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. You can optionally add a title in quotation marks after the path or URL.
```
```
The rendered output looks like this:
**Note:** To resize an image, see the section on [image size](https://www.markdownguide.org/hacks/#image-size). To add a caption, see the section on [image captions](https://www.markdownguide.org/hacks/#image-captions).
### Linking Images
To add a link to an image, enclose the Markdown for the image in brackets, and then add the link in parentheses.
```
[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/beaurogers/31833779864/in/photolist-Qv3rFw-34mt9F-a9Cmfy-5Ha3Zi-9msKdv-o3hgjr-hWpUte-4WMsJ1-KUQ8N-deshUb-vssBD-6CQci6-8AFCiD-zsJWT-nNfsgB-dPDwZJ-bn9JGn-5HtSXY-6CUhAL-a4UTXB-ugPum-KUPSo-fBLNm-6CUmpy-4WMsc9-8a7D3T-83KJev-6CQ2bK-nNusHJ-a78rQH-nw3NvT-7aq2qf-8wwBso-3nNceh-ugSKP-4mh4kh-bbeeqH-a7biME-q3PtTf-brFpgb-cg38zw-bXMZc-nJPELD-f58Lmo-bXMYG-bz8AAi-bxNtNT-bXMYi-bXMY6-bXMYv)
```
The rendered output looks like this:
[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/beaurogers/31833779864/in/photolist-Qv3rFw-34mt9F-a9Cmfy-5Ha3Zi-9msKdv-o3hgjr-hWpUte-4WMsJ1-KUQ8N-deshUb-vssBD-6CQci6-8AFCiD-zsJWT-nNfsgB-dPDwZJ-bn9JGn-5HtSXY-6CUhAL-a4UTXB-ugPum-KUPSo-fBLNm-6CUmpy-4WMsc9-8a7D3T-83KJev-6CQ2bK-nNusHJ-a78rQH-nw3NvT-7aq2qf-8wwBso-3nNceh-ugSKP-4mh4kh-bbeeqH-a7biME-q3PtTf-brFpgb-cg38zw-bXMZc-nJPELD-f58Lmo-bXMYG-bz8AAi-bxNtNT-bXMYi-bXMY6-bXMYv)
## Escaping Characters
To display a literal character that would otherwise be used to format text in a Markdown document, add a backslash (`\`) in front of the character.
```
\* Without the backslash, this would be a bullet in an unordered list.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
\* Without the backslash, this would be a bullet in an unordered list.
### Characters You Can Escape
You can use a backslash to escape the following characters.
| ` | backtick (see also [escaping backticks in code](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#escaping-backticks)) |
| * | asterisk |
| _ | underscore |
| { } | curly braces |
| [ ] | brackets |
| < > | angle brackets |
| ( ) | parentheses |
| # | pound sign |
| + | plus sign |
| - | minus sign (hyphen) |
| . | dot |
| ! | exclamation mark |
| \| | pipe (see also [escaping pipe in tables](https://www.markdownguide.org/extended-syntax/#escaping-pipe-characters-in-tables)) |
## HTML
Many Markdown applications allow you to use HTML tags in Markdown-formatted text. This is helpful if you prefer certain HTML tags to Markdown syntax. For example, some people find it easier to use HTML tags for images. Using HTML is also helpful when you need to change the attributes of an element, like specifying the [color of text](https://www.markdownguide.org/hacks/#color) or changing the width of an image.
To use HTML, place the tags in the text of your Markdown-formatted file.
```
This **word** is bold. This <em>word</em> is italic.
For security reasons, not all Markdown applications support HTML in Markdown documents. When in doubt, check your Markdown application’s documentation. Some applications support only a subset of HTML tags.
Use blank lines to separate block-level HTML elements like `<div>`, `<table>`, `<pre>`, and `<p>` from the surrounding content. Try not to indent the tags with tabs or spaces — that can interfere with the formatting.
