Introduction
Markdown is a lightweight markup language with plain-text formatting syntax. Its design allows it to be converted to many output formats, but the original tool by the same name only supports HTML. Markdown is often used to format readme files, for writing messages in online discussion forums, and to create rich text using a plain text editor.
Common Markdown Syntax
- Headers
- Emphasis
- Lists
- Links
- Images
- Code blocks
- Blockquotes
Headers
In Markdown, you can create headings of different sizes using hashtags. The number of hashtags indicates the header size, with one being the largest and six being the smallest.
Emphasis
Markdown allows you to add emphasis to text using asterisks or underscores. For italics, wrap the text in a single asterisk or underscore, and for bold text, use double asterisks or underscores.
Lists
Lists in Markdown can be either ordered or unordered. To create an unordered list, use asterisks, plus signs, or hyphens. To create an ordered list, simply start each line with a number followed by a period.
Links and Images
To insert a link in Markdown, enclose the link text in square brackets followed by the URL in parentheses. For images, use an exclamation mark before the square brackets, followed by the alt text and the image URL in parentheses.
Code Blocks
To include code blocks in Markdown, indent each line of the block with four spaces or a tab. For inline code, surround the code with backticks.
Blockquotes
Blockquotes in Markdown are created by placing a greater than sign before the quoted text. You can also nest blockquotes within each other for multiple levels of quoting.
Conclusion
Markdown is a versatile and easy-to-use syntax for formatting text on the web. By mastering the common Markdown syntax elements, you can quickly create well-formatted and visually appealing content without the need for complex HTML or styling languages.