Markdown Syntax Reference

Markdown uses plain text characters to indicate formatting. # creates headings (one hash for H1, two for H2, up to six). **bold** for bold text, *italic* for italic. [text](url) creates links. ![alt](src) embeds images. Prefix lines with - or * for unordered lists, or 1. for ordered lists.

Code in Markdown

Wrap inline code with single backticks: `variable`. For code blocks, use triple backticks with an optional language identifier for syntax highlighting. Indent code blocks with four spaces as an alternative to fenced blocks. Most Markdown renderers (GitHub, GitLab, VS Code) support syntax highlighting for dozens of languages.

Where Markdown Is Used

GitHub uses Markdown for READMEs, issues, pull requests, and comments. Static site generators like Astro, Hugo, and Jekyll render Markdown files as HTML pages. Documentation platforms (Notion, Obsidian, Docusaurus) use Markdown as their primary authoring format. Most developer-facing tools expect Markdown for structured text input. Use our Word Counter to check the length of your Markdown content, or generate filler text with the Lorem Ipsum Generator when you need placeholder content for testing layouts.

CommonMark and Flavored Markdown

The original Markdown specification left some syntax ambiguous. CommonMark is a strict specification that resolves these ambiguities. GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) extends CommonMark with tables, task lists, strikethrough, and autolinked URLs. This preview tool supports the most common Markdown elements that work across all major implementations.