Markdown Style Guide

4 min

Here are some basic Markdown syntax examples and their stylistic effects in Retypeset.

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.

Syntax

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
#### Heading 4
##### Heading 5
###### Heading 6

Output

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Paragraph

To create paragraphs, use a blank line to separate one or more lines of text.

Syntax

Xerum, quo qui aut unt expliquam qui dolut labo. Aque venitatiusda cum, voluptionse latur sitiae dolessi aut parist aut dollo enim qui voluptate ma dolestendit peritin re plis aut quas inctum laceat est volestemque commosa as cus endigna tectur, offic to cor sequas etum rerum idem sintibus eiur? Quianimin porecus evelectur, cum que nis nust voloribus ratem aut omnimi, sitatur? Quiatem. Nam, omnis sum am facea corem alique molestrunt et eos evelece arcillit ut aut eos eos nus, sin conecerem erum fuga. Ri oditatquam, ad quibus unda veliamenimin cusam et facea ipsamus es exerum sitate dolores editium rerore eost, temped molorro ratiae volorro te reribus dolorer sperchicium faceata tiustia prat.

Itatur? Quiatae cullecum rem ent aut odis in re eossequodi nonsequ idebis ne sapicia is sinveli squiatum, core et que aut hariosam ex eat.

Output

Xerum, quo qui aut unt expliquam qui dolut labo. Aque venitatiusda cum, voluptionse latur sitiae dolessi aut parist aut dollo enim qui voluptate ma dolestendit peritin re plis aut quas inctum laceat est volestemque commosa as cus endigna tectur, offic to cor sequas etum rerum idem sintibus eiur? Quianimin porecus evelectur, cum que nis nust voloribus ratem aut omnimi, sitatur? Quiatem. Nam, omnis sum am facea corem alique molestrunt et eos evelece arcillit ut aut eos eos nus, sin conecerem erum fuga. Ri oditatquam, ad quibus unda veliamenimin cusam et facea ipsamus es exerum sitate dolores editium rerore eost, temped molorro ratiae volorro te reribus dolorer sperchicium faceata tiustia prat.

Itatur? Quiatae cullecum rem ent aut odis in re eossequodi nonsequ idebis ne sapicia is sinveli squiatum, core et que aut hariosam ex eat.

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 ().

Syntax

![Image Description](./full/or/relative/path/of/image)

Output

Image Description

Blockquotes

To create a blockquote, add a > in front of a paragraph. To create a blockquote with multiple paragraphs, add a > symbol to the empty lines between paragraphs. To cite sources, you can use the <cite> or <footer> tags for bibliographic references, while footnotes may be inserted using the [^1] or [^note] syntax.

Blockquote with multiple paragraphs

Syntax

> Tiam, ad mint andaepu dandae nostion secatur sequo quae.
>
> **Note** that you can use _Markdown syntax_ within a blockquote.

Output

Tiam, ad mint andaepu dandae nostion secatur sequo quae.

Note that you can use Markdown syntax within a blockquote.

Blockquote with citing sources

Syntax

> Don't communicate by sharing memory, share memory by communicating.
>
> — <cite>Rob Pike[^1]</cite>

[^1]: The above quote is excerpted from Rob Pike's [talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAAkCSZUG1c) during Gopherfest, November 18, 2015.

Output

Don’t communicate by sharing memory, share memory by communicating.

Rob Pike1

Tables

To add a table, use three or more hyphens --- to create each column’s header, and use pipes | to separate each column.

Syntax

| Italics   | Bold     | Code   |
| --------- | -------- | ------ |
| _italics_ | **bold** | `code` |
| _italics_ | **bold** | `code` |

Output

ItalicsBoldCode
italicsboldcode
italicsboldcode

Code Blocks

To create a code block, add three backticks ``` at the start and end of your code. You can indicate the programming language being used after the opening backticks to indicate how to color and style your code, for eg. html, javascript, css, markdown etc.

Syntax

```html
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>Example HTML5 Document</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p>Test</p>
  </body>
</html>
```

Output

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>Example HTML5 Document</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p>Test</p>
  </body>
</html>

List Types

Ordered List

Syntax

1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item

Output

  1. First item
  2. Second item
  3. Third item

Unordered List

Syntax

- List item
- Another item
- And another item

Output

  • List item
  • Another item
  • And another item

Nested list

Syntax

- Fruit
  - Apple
  - Orange
  - Banana
- Dairy
  - Milk
  - Cheese

Output

  • Fruit
    • Apple
    • Orange
    • Banana
  • Dairy
    • Milk
    • Cheese

Other Elements

Including <sup> superscript, <sub> subscript, <abbr> abbreviation, <del> strikethrough, <u> wavy underline, <kbd> keyboard input, and <mark> highlight.

Syntax

H<sub>2</sub>O

X<sup>n</sup> + Y<sup>n</sup> = Z<sup>n</sup>

<abbr title="Graphics Interchange Format">GIF</abbr> is a bitmap image format.

Good writers always check for <u title="spelling">speling</u> mistakes.

Press <kbd>CTRL</kbd> + <kbd>ALT</kbd> + <kbd>Delete</kbd> to end the session.

There is <del>nothing</del> no code either good or bad, but running it makes it so.

Most <mark>salamanders</mark> are nocturnal, and hunt for insects, worms, and other small creatures.

Output

H2O

Xn + Yn = Zn

GIF is a bitmap image format.

Good writers always check for speling mistakes.

Press CTRL + ALT + Delete to end the session.

There is nothing no code either good or bad, but running it makes it so.

Most salamanders are nocturnal, and hunt for insects, worms, and other small creatures.

Footnotes

  1. The above quote is excerpted from Rob Pike’s talk during Gopherfest, November 18, 2015.