📖 Guide
Markdown — Complete Reference
Complete Markdown syntax reference for headings, formatting, links, tables, code blocks, and extensions.
63 commands across 10 categories
HeadingsText FormattingLinks & ImagesListsCodeTablesBlockquotesHorizontal RulesTask ListsFootnotes & Extensions
Headings
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
# Heading 1 | Top-level heading (H1) |
## Heading 2 | Second-level heading (H2) |
### Heading 3 | Third-level heading (H3) |
#### Heading 4 | Fourth-level heading (H4) |
##### Heading 5 | Fifth-level heading (H5) |
###### Heading 6 | Sixth-level heading (H6) — smallest |
Heading 1\n========= | Alternative H1 using underline syntax |
Heading 2\n--------- | Alternative H2 using underline syntax |
Text Formatting
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
**bold text** | Bold text |
*italic text* | Italic text |
***bold and italic*** | Bold and italic combined |
~~strikethrough~~ | Strikethrough text |
`inline code` | Inline code span |
Text with <sub>subscript</sub> | Subscript (HTML tag) |
Text with <sup>superscript</sup> | Superscript (HTML tag) |
==highlighted== | Highlighted text (some parsers) |
Links & Images
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
[text](https://url.com) | Inline link |
[text](url "Title") | Link with hover title |
<https://url.com> | Autolink — URL rendered as clickable link |
[text][ref] ... [ref]: url | Reference-style link |
 | Image |
 | Image with title |
[](url) | Linked image (image inside a link) |
Lists
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
- Item / * Item / + Item | Unordered list (any bullet marker) |
1. First\n2. Second | Ordered list |
1. First\n1. Second\n1. Third | Ordered list (auto-numbered — all can be 1.) |
- Sub-item | Nested list (indent 2-4 spaces) |
- Item\n\n Continued paragraph | List item with paragraph continuation |
1. Item\n ```code``` | Code block inside list item (indent to align) |
Code
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
`inline code` | Inline code |
```\ncode block\n``` | Fenced code block |
```python\nprint("hi")\n``` | Fenced code block with syntax highlighting |
indented line | Indented code block (4 spaces or 1 tab) |
``code with `backtick` inside`` | Inline code containing backticks (use double backticks) |
```diff\n+ added\n- removed\n``` | Diff syntax highlighting |
Tables
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| H1 | H2 |\n|---|---|\n| A | B | | Basic table |
| :--- | :---: | ---: | | Column alignment: left, center, right |
| Cell with \| pipe | | Escape pipe character inside table cells |
| **Bold** | `code` | [link](url) | | Inline formatting works inside table cells |
| H1 | H2 |\n|---|---| | Minimum table — header + separator row required |
Blockquotes
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
> Quote text | Blockquote |
> Line 1\n> Line 2 | Multi-line blockquote |
> Outer\n>> Nested | Nested blockquote |
> **Note:** text | Blockquote with formatted text inside |
> [!NOTE]\n> Useful info | GitHub-flavored admonition (NOTE, TIP, WARNING, CAUTION) |
Horizontal Rules
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
--- | Horizontal rule (three hyphens) |
*** | Horizontal rule (three asterisks) |
___ | Horizontal rule (three underscores) |
- - - | Horizontal rule (spaced hyphens also valid) |
\n---\n | Ensure blank lines around --- to avoid heading interpretation |
Task Lists
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
- [ ] Unchecked item | Unchecked task list item |
- [x] Checked item | Checked (completed) task list item |
- [x] Done\n- [ ] Pending\n- [ ] Todo | Task list with mixed states |
1. [ ] Ordered task | Task list with ordered numbering |
- [ ] Parent\n - [ ] Sub-task | Nested task list |
Footnotes & Extensions
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
Text[^1] ... [^1]: Footnote text | Numbered footnote |
Text[^note] ... [^note]: Named footnote | Named footnote reference |
Term\n: Definition | Definition list (some parsers) |
H~2~O | Subscript shorthand (some parsers) |
X^2^ | Superscript shorthand (some parsers) |
```mermaid\ngraph LR; A-->B\n``` | Mermaid diagram (GitHub, GitLab) |
$E = mc^2$ | Inline math (LaTeX syntax, GitHub/GitLab) |
$$\n\sum_{i=1}^n x_i\n$$ | Block math equation |
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