# Blockquotes
To create a blockquote, add a `>` in front of a paragraph.
```
> Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
> Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
## Blockquotes with Multiple Paragraphs
Blockquotes can contain multiple paragraphs. Add a `>` on the blank lines between the paragraphs.
```
> Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
>
> The Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
> Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
>
> The Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.
## Nested Blockquotes
Blockquotes can be nested. Add a `>>` in front of the paragraph you want to nest.
```
> Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
>
>> The Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
> Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
>
>> The Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.
## Blockquotes with Other Elements
Blockquotes can contain other Markdown formatted elements. Not all elements can be used — you'll need to experiment to see which ones work.
```
> #### The quarterly results look great!
>
> - Revenue was off the chart.
> - Profits were higher than ever.
>
> *Everything* is going according to **plan**.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
> <h4 class="no-anchor">The quarterly results look great!</h4>
>
> - Revenue was off the chart.
> - Profits were higher than ever.
>
> *Everything* is going according to **plan**.
## Blockquotes Best Practices
For compatibility, put blank lines before and after blockquotes.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `Try to put a blank line before...`<br/><br/>` > This is a blockquote`<br/><br/>`...and after a blockquote.` | `Without blank lines, this might not look right.`<br/>`> This is a blockquote`<br/>`Don't do this!` |
# Bold
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 | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|--------|
|`I just love **bold text**.`|`I just love <strong>bold text</strong>.`|I just love **bold text**.|
|`I just love __bold text__.`|`I just love <strong>bold text</strong>.`|I just love __bold text__.|
|`Love**is**bold`|`Love<strong>is</strong>bold`|Love**is**bold|
## Bold Best Practices
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.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|`Love**is**bold`|`Love__is__bold`|
# Code
To denote a word or phrase as code, enclose it in backticks (`` ` ``).
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|--------|
|``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 (<code>``</code>).
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|------|--------|
|````Use `code` in your Markdown file.````|``<code>Use `code` in your Markdown file.</code>``|``Use `code` in your Markdown file.``|
## Code Blocks
To create code blocks, indent every line of the block by at least four spaces or one tab.
```text
<p>
This is some <b>text</b>
</p>
```
The rendered output looks like this:
<p>
This is some <b>text</b>
</p>
> Note: To create code blocks without indenting lines, use [fenced code blocks](../extended/fenced-code-blocks.md).
# Emphasis
You can add emphasis by making text bold or italic.
## Bold and Italic
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.
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|---------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| `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. |
> Note: The order of the `em` and `strong` tags might be reversed depending on the Markdown processor you're using.
## Bold and Italic Best Practices
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.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| `This is really ***very*** important text.` | `This is really ___very___ important text.` |
# 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.
| Character | Name |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `\ ` | backslash |
| `` ` `` | backtick (see also [escaping backticks in code](code.md#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](../extended-syntax/tables#escaping-pipe-characters-in-tables)) |
# Headings
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 | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|--------|
|`# Heading level 1`|`<h1>Heading level 1</h1>`|<h1>Heading level 1</h1>|
|`## Heading level 2`|`<h2>Heading level 2</h2>`|<h2>Heading level 2</h2>|
|`### Heading level 3`|`<h3>Heading level 3</h3>`|<h3>Heading level 3</h3>|
|`#### Heading level 4`|`<h4>Heading level 4</h4>`|<h4>Heading level 4</h4>|
|`##### Heading level 5`|`<h5>Heading level 5</h5>`|<h5>Heading level 5</h5>|
|`###### Heading level 6`|`<h6>Heading level 6</h6>`|<h6>Heading level 6</h6>|
### Alternate Syntax
Alternatively, on the line below the text, add any number of `==` characters for heading level 1 or `--` characters for heading level 2.
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|--------|
|`Heading level 1`<br/>`===============`|`<h1>Heading level 1</h1>`|<h1>Heading level 1</h1>|
|`Heading level 2`<br/>`---------------`|`<h2>Heading level 2</h2>`|<h2>Heading level 2</h2>|
## Link to heading
The IDs are generated from the content of the header according to the following rules:
1. All text is converted to lowercase.
2. All non-word text (e.g., punctuation, HTML) is removed.
3. All spaces are converted to hyphens.
4. Two or more hyphens in a row are converted to one.
5. If a header with the same ID has already been generated, a unique incrementing number is appended, starting at 1.
For example `### 1. This is my Header` is converted to `#1-this-is-my-header`
### Heading Best Practices
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 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `Try to put a blank line before...`<br><br>`# Here's a Heading`<br><br>`...and after a heading.` | `Without blank lines, this might not look right.`<br>`#Here's a Heading`<br>`Don't do this !` |
# Horizontal Rules
To create a horizontal rule, use three or more asterisks (`***`), dashes (`---`), or underscores (`___`) on a line by themselves.
```
***
---
_________________
```
The rendered output of all three looks identical:
---
***
___
### Horizontal Rule Best Practices
For compatibility, put blank lines before and after horizontal rules.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|`Try to put a blank line before...`<br><br>`---`<br><br>`...and after a horizontal rule.`|`Without blank lines, this would be a heading.`<br>`---`<br>`Don't do this!`|
# 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](/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.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
This **word** is bold. This <em>word</em> is italic.
## HTML Best Practices
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.
You can't use Markdown syntax inside block-level HTML tags. For example, `<p>italic and **bold**</p>` won't work.
# 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: The Markdown syntax for images doesn’t allow you to specify the width and height of images.
> If you need to resize an image and your Markdown processor supports HTML, you can use the img HTML
> tag with the width and height attributes to set the dimensions of an image in pixels.
>
> `<img src="image.png" width="200" height="100">`
### Linking Images
To add a link to an image, enclose the Markdown for the image in brackets, and then add the link in parentheses.
```
[](logo.png)
```
The rendered output looks like this:
[](logo-big.png)
# Italic
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 | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|--------|
|`Italicized text is the *cat's meow*.`|`Italicized text is the <em>cat's meow</em>.`|Italicized text is the *cat's meow*.|
|`Italicized text is the _cat's meow_.`|`Italicized text is the <em>cat's meow</em>.`|Italicized text is the _cat's meow_.|
|`A*cat*meow`|`A<em>cat</em>meow`|A*cat*meow|
## Italic Best Practices
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.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------|------------------------|
| `A*cat*meow` | `A_cat_meow` |
# Line Breaks
To create a line break or new line (`<br>`), end a line with two or more spaces, and then type return.
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|-------------------------------------------------------------|------|--------|
| `This is the first line. `<br>`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. <br> And this is the second line.|
### Line Break Best Practices
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](html.md), you can use the `<br>` HTML tag.
For compatibility, use trailing white space or the `<br>` HTML tag at the end of the line.
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.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------|------------------------|
|`First line with two spaces after. `<br>`And the next line.`<br><br>`First line with the HTML tag after.<br>`<br>`And the next line.`<br><br>||
# Links
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)`).
```
My favorite search engine is [Duck Duck Go](https://duckduckgo.com).
```
The rendered output looks like this:
My favorite search engine is [Duck Duck Go](https://duckduckgo.com).
> Note: To link to an element on the same page, see [linking to heading IDs](headings.md#link-to-heading).
### Adding Titles
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.
```
My favorite search engine is [Duck Duck Go](https://duckduckgo.com "The best search engine for privacy").
```
The rendered output looks like this:
My favorite search engine is [Duck Duck Go](https://duckduckgo.com "The best search engine for privacy").
### URLs and Email Addresses
To quickly turn a URL or email address into a link, enclose it in angle brackets.
```
<https://www.markdownguide.org>
<fake@example.com>
```
The rendered output looks like this:
<https://www.markdownguide.org><br/>
<fake@example.com>
### Formatting Links
To [emphasize](emphasis.md) links, add asterisks before and after the brackets and parentheses. To denote links as [code](code.md), 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)**.<br/>
This is the *[Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org)*.<br/>
See the section on [`code`](#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:
1. The label, in brackets, followed immediately by a colon and at least one space (e.g., `[label]: `).
2. The URL for the link, which you can optionally enclose in angle brackets.
3. The optional title for the link, which you can enclose in double quotes, single quotes, or parentheses.
This means the following example formats are all roughly equivalent for the second part of the link:
- `[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle`
- `[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle "Hobbit lifestyles"`
- `[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle 'Hobbit lifestyles'`
- `[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle (Hobbit lifestyles)`
- `[1]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle> "Hobbit lifestyles"`
- `[1]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle> 'Hobbit lifestyles'`
- `[1]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle> (Hobbit lifestyles)`
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](#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.
[1]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle> "Hobbit lifestyles"
```
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 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle" title="Hobbit lifestyles">hobbit-hole</a>, and that means comfort.
and the HTML for the link would be:
```
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle" title="Hobbit lifestyles">hobbit-hole</a>
```
### Link Best Practices
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](#html), you could use the `a` HTML tag.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------|------------------------|
|`[link](https://www.example.com/my%20great%20page)`|`[link](https://www.example.com/my great page)`|
Parentheses in the middle of a URL can also be problematic. For compatibility, try to URL encode the opening parenthesis (`(`) with `%28` and the closing parenthesis (`)`) with `%29`. Alternatively, if your Markdown application [supports HTML](html.md), you could use the `a` HTML tag.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------|------------------------|
|`[a novel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/<wbr>The_Milagro_Beanfield_War_%28novel%29)`|`[a novel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/<wbr>The_Milagro_Beanfield_War_(novel))`|
# Lists
You can organize items into ordered and unordered lists.
## 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.
> Note: 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](code.md) are normally indented four spaces or one tab. When they're in a list, indent them eight spaces or two tabs.
```text
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:
```text
<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.
<img srcset="https://mdg.imgix.net/assets/images/tux.png?auto=format&fit=clip&w=100 480w,
https://mdg.imgix.net/assets/images/tux.png?auto=format&fit=clip&q=40&w=100 1080w"
src="https://mdg.imgix.net/assets/images/tux.png" class="img-fluid" alt="Tux, the Linux mascot" loading="lazy" sizes="100vw">
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
# 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.
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|
| `1. First item`<br/>`2. Second item`<br/>`3. Third item`<br/>`4. Fourth item` | `<ol>`<br>`<li>First item</li>`<br>`<li>Second item</li>`<br>`<li>Third item</li>`<br>`<li>Fourth item</li>`<br>`</ol>` |<ol><li>First item</li><li>Second item</li><li>Third item</li><li>Fourth item</li></ol>|
| `1. First item`<br/>`1. Second item`<br/>`1. Third item`<br/>`1. Fourth item` | `<ol>`<br>`<li>First item</li>`<br>`<li>Second item</li>`<br>`<li>Third item</li>`<br>`<li>Fourth item</li>`<br>`</ol>` |<ol><li>First item</li><li>Second item</li><li>Third item</li><li>Fourth item</li></ol>|
| `1. First item`<br/>`2. Second item`<br/>`3. Third item`<br/>` 1. Indented item`<br/>` 2. Indented item`<br/>`4. Fourth item` | `<ol>`<br>`<li>First item</li>`<br>`<li>Second item</li>`<br>`<li>Third item<ol>`<br>`<li>Indented item</li>`<br>`<li>Indented item</li>`<br>`</ol></li>`<br>` <li>Fourth item</li>`<br>`</ol>` |<ol><li>First item</li><li>Second item</li><li>Third item<ol><li>Indented item</li><li>Indented item</li></ol></li><li>Fourth item</li></ol>|
---
#### Ordered List Best Practices
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.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------|------------------------|
|`1. First item`<br>`2. Second item`|`1) First item`<br>`2) Second item`|
# Overview
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.
# Paragraphs
To create paragraphs, use a blank line to separate one or more lines of text.
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|--------|
|`I really like using Markdown.`<br><br>`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>`|<p>I really like using Markdown.</p><p>I think I'll use it to format all of my documents from now on.</p>|
## Paragraph Best Practices
Unless the paragraph is in a list, don't indent paragraphs with spaces or tabs.
# 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.
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|`- First item`<br>`- Second item`<br>`- Third item`<br>`- Fourth item`|`<ul>`<br>`<li>First item</li>`<br>`<li>Second item</li>`<br>`<li>Third item</li>`<br>`<li>Fourth item</li>`<br>`</ul>`|<ul><li>First item</li><li>Second item</li><li>Third item</li><li>Fourth item</li></ul>|
|`* First item`<br>`* Second item`<br>`* Third item`<br>`* Fourth item`|`<ul>`<br>`<li>First item</li>`<br>`<li>Second item</li>`<br>`<li>Third item</li>`<br>`<li>Fourth item</li>`<br>`</ul>`|<ul><li>First item</li><li>Second item</li><li>Third item</li><li>Fourth item</li></ul>|
|`+ First item`<br>`* Second item`<br>`- Third item`<br>`+ Fourth item`|`<ul>`<br>`<li>First item</li>`<br>`<li>Second item</li>`<br>`<li>Third item</li>`<br>`<li>Fourth item</li>`<br>`</ul>`|<ul><li>First item</li><li>Second item</li><li>Third item</li><li>Fourth item</li></ul>|
|`- First item`<br>`- Second item`<br>`- Third item`<br>` - Indented item`<br>` - Indented item`<br>`- Fourth item`|<ul>`<br>`<li>First item</li>`<br>`<li>Second item</li>`<br>`<li>Third item<ul>`<br>`<li>Indented item</li>`<br>`<li>Indented item</li>`<br>`</ul></li>`<br>`<li>Fourth item</li>`<br>`</ul>|<ul><li>First item</li><li>Second item</li><li>Third item<ul><li>Indented item</li><li>Indented item</li></ul></li><li>Fourth item</li></ul>|
## Starting Unordered List Items With Numbers
If you need to start an unordered list item with a number followed by a period, you can use a backslash (`\ `) to [escape](escaping-characters.md) the period.
| Markdown | HTML | Output |
|-----------|------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|`- 1968\. A great year!`<br/>`- I think 1969 was second best.`|`<ul>`<br>`<li>1968. A great year!</li>`<br>`<li>I think 1969 was second best.</li>`<br>`</ul>`|<ul><li>1968. A great year!</li><li>I think 1969 was second best.</li></ul>|
#### 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.
| ✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
|------------------|------------------------|
|`- First item`<br>`- Second item`<br>`- Third item`<br>`- Fourth item`|`+ First item`<br>`* Second item`<br>`- Third item`<br>`+ Fourth item`|
---
title: Automatic URL Linking
syntax-id: automatic-url-linking
---
Many Markdown processors automatically turn URLs into links. That means if you type http://www.example.com, your Markdown processor will automatically turn it into a link even though you haven’t [used brackets](/basic-syntax/#links).
```
http://www.example.com
```
The rendered output looks like this:
[http://www.example.com](http://www.example.com)
## Disabling Automatic URL Linking
If you don't want a URL to be automatically linked, you can remove the link by [denoting the URL as code](/basic-syntax/#code) with backticks.
```
`http://www.example.com`
```
The rendered output looks like this:
`http://www.example.com`
---
title: Availability
syntax-id: availability
---
Not all Markdown applications support extended syntax elements. You'll need to check whether or not the lightweight markup language your application is using supports the extended syntax elements you want to use. If it doesn't, it may still be possible to enable extensions in your Markdown processor.
### Lightweight Markup Languages
There are several lightweight markup languages that are *supersets* of Markdown. They include basic syntax and build upon it by adding additional elements like tables, code blocks, syntax highlighting, URL auto-linking, and footnotes. Many of the most popular Markdown applications use one of the following lightweight markup languages:
- [CommonMark](https://commonmark.org)
- [GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)](https://github.github.com/gfm/)
- [Markdown Extra](https://michelf.ca/projects/php-markdown/extra/)
- [MultiMarkdown](https://fletcherpenney.net/multimarkdown/)
- [R Markdown](https://rmarkdown.rstudio.com/)
### Markdown Processors
There are [dozens of Markdown processors](https://github.com/markdown/markdown.github.com/wiki/Implementations) available. Many of them allow you to add extensions that enable extended syntax elements. Check your processor's documentation for more information.
---
title: Definition Lists
syntax-id: definition-lists
syntax-summary: |
term
: definition
---
Some Markdown processors allow you to create *definition lists* of terms and their corresponding definitions. To create a definition list, type the term on the first line. On the next line, type a colon followed by a space and the definition.
```
First Term
: This is the definition of the first term.
Second Term
: This is one definition of the second term.
: This is another definition of the second term.
```
The HTML looks like this:
```html
<dl>
<dt>First Term</dt>
<dd>This is the definition of the first term.</dd>
<dt>Second Term</dt>
<dd>This is one definition of the second term. </dd>
<dd>This is another definition of the second term.</dd>
</dl>
```
The rendered output looks like this:
First Term
: This is the definition of the first term.
Second Term
: This is one definition of the second term.
: This is another definition of the second term.
---
title: Emoji
syntax-id: emoji
---
There are two ways to add emoji to Markdown files: copy and paste the emoji into your Markdown-formatted text, or type *emoji shortcodes*.
### Copying and Pasting Emoji
In most cases, you can simply copy an emoji from a source like [Emojipedia](https://emojipedia.org/) and paste it into your document. Many Markdown applications will automatically display the emoji in the Markdown-formatted text. The HTML and PDF files you export from your Markdown application should display the emoji.
<div class="alert alert-success">
<i class="fas fa-lightbulb"></i> <strong>Tip:</strong> If you're using a static site generator, make sure you <a href="https://www.w3.org/International/tutorials/tutorial-char-enc/">encode HTML pages as UTF-8</a>.
</div>
### Using Emoji Shortcodes
Some Markdown applications allow you to insert emoji by typing emoji shortcodes. These begin and end with a colon and include the name of an emoji.
```text
Gone camping! :tent: Be back soon.
That is so funny! :joy:
```
The rendered output looks like this:
Gone camping! ⛺ Be back soon.
That is so funny! 😂
<div class="alert alert-info">
<i class="fas fa-info-circle"></i> <strong>Note:</strong> You can use this <a href="https://gist.github.com/rxaviers/7360908">list of emoji shortcodes</a>, but keep in mind that emoji shortcodes vary from application to application. Refer to your Markdown application's documentation for more information.
</div>
---
title: Fenced Code Blocks
syntax-id: fenced-code-blocks
syntax-summary: |
```
{
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"age": 25
}
```
---
The basic Markdown syntax allows you to create [code blocks](/basic-syntax/#code-blocks) by indenting lines by four spaces or one tab. If you find that inconvenient, try using fenced code blocks. Depending on your Markdown processor or editor, you'll use three backticks (<code>```</code>) or three tildes (`~~~`) on the lines before and after the code block. The best part? You don't have to indent any lines!
~~~~~~~~~
```
{
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"age": 25
}
```
~~~~~~~~~
The rendered output looks like this:
```text
{
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"age": 25
}
```
<div class="alert alert-success">
<i class="fas fa-lightbulb"></i> <strong>Tip:</strong> Need to display backticks inside a code block? See <a href="/basic-syntax/#escaping-backticks">this section</a> to learn how to escape them.
</div>
### Syntax Highlighting
Many Markdown processors support syntax highlighting for fenced code blocks. This feature allows you to add color highlighting for whatever language your code was written in. To add syntax highlighting, specify a language next to the backticks before the fenced code block.
~~~~~~~~~
```json
{
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"age": 25
}
```
~~~~~~~~~
The rendered output looks like this:
```json
{
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"age": 25
}
```
---
title: Heading IDs
syntax-id: heading-ids
syntax-summary: "### My Great Heading {#custom-id}"
---
Many Markdown processors support custom IDs for [headings](/basic-syntax/#headings) — some Markdown processors automatically add them. Adding custom IDs allows you to link directly to headings and modify them with CSS. To add a custom heading ID, enclose the custom ID in curly braces on the same line as the heading.
```text
### My Great Heading {#custom-id}
```
The HTML looks like this:
```html
<h3 id="custom-id">My Great Heading</h3>
```
### Linking to Heading IDs
You can link to headings with custom IDs in the file by creating a [standard link](/basic-syntax/#links) with a number sign (`#`) followed by the custom heading ID. These are commonly referred to as *anchor links*.
<table class="table table-bordered">
<thead class="thead-light">
<tr>
<th>Markdown</th>
<th>HTML</th>
<th>Rendered Output</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><code class="highlighter-rouge">[Heading IDs](#heading-ids)</code></td>
<td><code class="highlighter-rouge"> <a href="#heading-ids">Heading IDs</a></code></td>
<td><a href="#heading-ids">Heading IDs</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Other websites can link to the heading by adding the custom heading ID to the full URL of the webpage (e.g, `[Heading IDs](https://www.markdownguide.org/extended-syntax#heading-ids)`).
---
title: Highlight
syntax-id: highlight
---
This isn't common, but some Markdown processors allow you to highlight text. The result looks <mark>like this</mark>. To highlight words, use two equal signs (`==`) before and after the words.
```text
I need to highlight these ==very important words==.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
I need to highlight these <mark>very important words</mark>.
Alternatively, if your Markdown application supports [HTML](/basic-syntax/#html), you can use the `mark` HTML tag.
```html
I need to highlight these <mark>very important words</mark>.
```
---
title: Overview
syntax-id: overview
---
The [basic syntax](/basic-syntax/) outlined in the original Markdown design document added many of the elements needed on a day-to-day basis, but it wasn't enough for some people. That's where extended syntax comes in.
Several individuals and organizations took it upon themselves to extend the basic syntax by adding additional elements like tables, code blocks, syntax highlighting, URL auto-linking, and footnotes. These elements can be enabled by using a lightweight markup language that builds upon the basic Markdown syntax, or by adding an extension to a compatible Markdown processor.
---
title: Strikethrough
syntax-id: strikethrough
syntax-summary: "~~The world is flat.~~"
---
You can strikethrough words by putting a horizontal line through the center of them. The result looks ~~like this~~. This feature allows you to indicate that certain words are a mistake not meant for inclusion in the document. To strikethrough words, use two tilde symbols (`~~`) before and after the words.
```
~~The world is flat.~~ We now know that the world is round.
```
The rendered output looks like this:
~~The world is flat.~~ We now know that the world is round.
---
title: Subscript
syntax-id: subscript
---
This isn't common, but some Markdown processors allow you to use *subscript* to position one or more characters slightly below the normal line of type. To create a subscript, use one tilde symbol (`~`) before and after the characters.
```text
H~2~O
```
The rendered output looks like this:
H<sub>2</sub>O
<div class="alert alert-success">
<i class="fas fa-lightbulb"></i> <strong>Tip:</strong> Be sure to test this in your Markdown application before using it. Some Markdown applications use one tilde symbol before and after words not for subscript, but for <a href="/extended-syntax/#strikethrough">strikethrough</a>.
</div>
Alternatively, if your Markdown application supports [HTML](/basic-syntax/#html), you can use the `sub` HTML tag.
```html
H<sub>2</sub>O
```
---
title: Superscript
syntax-id: superscript
---
This isn't common, but some Markdown processors allow you to use *superscript* to position one or more characters slightly above the normal line of type. To create a superscript, use one caret symbol (`^`) before and after the characters.
```text
X^2^
```
The rendered output looks like this:
X<sup>2</sup>
Alternatively, if your Markdown application supports [HTML](/basic-syntax/#html), you can use the `sup` HTML tag.
```html
X<sup>2</sup>
```
---
title: Tables
syntax-id: tables
syntax-summary: |
| Syntax | Description |
| ----------- | ----------- |
| Header | Title |
| Paragraph | Text |
---
To add a table, use three or more hyphens (`---`) to create each column's header, and use pipes (`|`) to separate each column. For compatibility, you should also add a pipe on either end of the row.
```
| Syntax | Description |
| ----------- | ----------- |
| Header | Title |
| Paragraph | Text |
```
The rendered output looks like this:
<table class="table table-bordered">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Syntax</th>
<th>Description</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Header</td>
<td>Title</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Paragraph</td>
<td>Text</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Cell widths can vary, as shown below. The rendered output will look the same.
```
| Syntax | Description |
| --- | ----------- |
| Header | Title |
| Paragraph | Text |
```
<div class="alert alert-success">
<i class="fas fa-lightbulb"></i> <strong>Tip:</strong> Creating tables with hyphens and pipes can be tedious. To speed up the process, try using the <a href="https://www.tablesgenerator.com/markdown_tables">Markdown Tables Generator</a> or <a href="https://anywaydata.com">AnyWayData Markdown Export</a>. Build a table using the graphical interface, and then copy the generated Markdown-formatted text into your file.
</div>
### Alignment
You can align text in the columns to the left, right, or center by adding a colon (`:`) to the left, right, or on both side of the hyphens within the header row.
```
| Syntax | Description | Test Text |
| :--- | :----: | ---: |
| Header | Title | Here's this |
| Paragraph | Text | And more |
```
The rendered output looks like this:
<table class="table table-bordered">
<thead>
<tr>
<th style="text-align: left">Syntax</th>
<th style="text-align: center">Description</th>
<th style="text-align: right">Test Text</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left">Header</td>
<td style="text-align: center">Title</td>
<td style="text-align: right">Here’s this</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left">Paragraph</td>
<td style="text-align: center">Text</td>
<td style="text-align: right">And more</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
### Formatting Text in Tables
You can format the text within tables. For example, you can add [links](/basic-syntax/#links), [code](/basic-syntax/#code-1) (words or phrases in backticks (`` ` ``) only, not [code blocks](/basic-syntax/#code-blocks)), and [emphasis](/basic-syntax/#emphasis).
You can't use headings, blockquotes, lists, horizontal rules, images, or most HTML tags.
<div class="alert alert-success">
<i class="fas fa-lightbulb"></i> <strong>Tip:</strong> You can use HTML to create <a href="/hacks/#line-breaks-within-table-cells">line breaks</a> and add <a href="/hacks/#lists-within-table-cells">lists</a> within table cells.
</div>
### Escaping Pipe Characters in Tables
You can display a pipe (`|`) character in a table by using its HTML character code (`|`).
---
title: Task Lists
syntax-id: task-lists
syntax-summary: |
- [x] Write the press release
- [ ] Update the website
- [ ] Contact the media
---
Task lists (also referred to as *checklists* and *todo* lists) allow you to create a list of items with checkboxes. In Markdown applications that support task lists, checkboxes will be displayed next to the content. To create a task list, add dashes (`-`) and brackets with a space (`[ ]`) in front of task list items. To select a checkbox, add an `x` in between the brackets (`[x]`).
```
- [x] Write the press release
- [ ] Update the website
- [ ] Contact the media
```
The rendered output looks like this:
<img src="/assets/images/tasklist.png" class="img-fluid" alt="Markdown task list">