How to Use Markdown

Whether you're posting connected Reddit, Discord, aliases Github, there's only 1 measurement to adhd formatting: Markdown. If you want to adhd a link, bold immoderate text, aliases moreover divided matter into paragraphs, you will request to cognize nan basics of this text-based formatting system.

Does that sound scary? Trust me, it’s not. Markdown has conscionable a fewer rules for formatting matter nan measurement you want, and you only request to study nan rules for nan formatting you really use.

Let's spell complete nan elemental rules, talk astir why Markdown is useful, past return a look astatine a fewer resources you tin usage to spell further pinch Markdown.

The Basics of Markdown

Markdown is simply a measurement to use rich | formatting to plaintext by adding definite characters to it. On platforms for illustration Discord aliases Reddit, wherever messages are short and comparatively simple, you really only request to study a fewer basics:

• To italicize text, put an asterisk earlier and aft it, *like this*
• To bold text, put 2 asterisks earlier and aft it, **like this**
• To see a link, put nan matter of nan nexus successful quadrate brackets followed instantly by nan URL successful parentheses, [Like this](https://justinpot.com/)
• To adhd an image, commencement pinch an exclamation point, pinch nan quadrate bracket containing a explanation of nan image, and nan parentheses containing a nexus to an image file, 
• To commencement a caller paragraph, deed Enter twice, truthful that there's a clear statement betwixt nan existent statement of matter and nan adjacent one.

The supra 5 tips are much than capable for things for illustration Reddit and Discord. Even though you’re typing what looks for illustration code, erstwhile your station is published, each you’ll spot is nan rich-text formatting, complete pinch links and images.

If you're utilizing Markdown to constitute full documents, though, you're going to request a fewer document-specific tools. Here are nan cardinal ones:

• To make a header (like nan large-font matter “The Basics of Markdown” seen supra connected this article) commencement a statement of matter pinch a lb motion followed by a space, # Like this.
• To make smaller headers, usage much lb signs, ## Like this for h2 aliases ### Like this for h3, and truthful on. The much lb signs you add, nan smaller your header matter will be.
• To create a bulleted list, simply commencement a statement of matter pinch an asterisk followed by a space, * Like this. You tin adhd arsenic galore bulleted lines to your database arsenic you want.
• To indent a database item, put a tab earlier nan asterisk. To indent further, simply adhd much tabs.
• To create a numbered list, commencement a statement of matter pinch a number and a period, 1. Like this.
• To indent a numbered database item, adhd a tab earlier nan number. To indent further, simply adhd much tabs.
• To adhd a artifact quote to your document, simply commencement a nexus of matter pinch a “greater than” sign, > for illustration this.

That covers astir of what you request to cognize successful bid to constitute a archive successful Markdown. If you're confused astir really this formatting will look, it helps to play astir and spot nan results. A awesome website to do this connected is MarkdownLivePreview.com. The near sheet shows nan Markdown while nan correct broadside shows really that will look. Try different things location for a spot and you'll consciousness a batch much comfortable.

Why Use Markdown astatine All?

This each mightiness person you asking: Why are sites forcing group to study a somewhat esoteric measurement to format text? And nan reply is that this system, moreover if a small spot confusing astatine first, is very straightforward and clear erstwhile you get utilized to it.

Most group get utilized to penning connected a machine utilizing devices for illustration Microsoft Word aliases Google Docs. There are some connection processors, meaning they are built to correspond a printed page connected your screen. They besides some are called “what you spot is what you get” editors—or WYSIWYG editors—meaning that nan formatting is shown connected nan surface directly. If you bold immoderate text, you spot it arsenic bold connected nan screen; if you adhd a link, you spot nan linked matter get underlined and move bluish for illustration it would connected a web page. There is nary measurement to tell, by looking astatine nan matter itself, wherever bolding originates and ends aliases what nan destination of nan nexus is.

This mightiness look intuitive, and to beryllium adjacent location is simply a simplicity to it. But that simplicity is made imaginable by codification that nan personification does not see, and nan truth that nan codification is kept down nan scenes tin beryllium confusing successful immoderate ways. Anyone who has tried to adhd a fewer words to nan extremity of a link, aliases correct aft a link, knows that this ambiguity tin beryllium frustrating—you'll extremity up either accidentally making nan nexus longer than you intended, aliases doing nan other and adding matter that’s not linked. This doesn't hap while penning successful Markdown because you tin intelligibly spot wherever each nan formatting originates and ends.

Markdown files are besides future-proof. Because each of nan matter formatting, linking, and archive building schema is written successful plaintext, a format that hasn't changed successful decades and isn't owned by immoderate 1 company, you tin beryllium reasonably definite that anyone who finds a Markdown record successful 50 years is going to beryllium capable to make consciousness of it. The aforesaid can't beryllium said astir Microsoft Office files.