Markdown Basics

Here are some of the most common Markdown syntax elements to get you started:

Bold

**Bold Text**

Bold Text

Italic

*Italic Text*

Italic Text

Underline (Not standard Markdown, often requires HTML)

<u>Underlined Text</u>

Underlined Text

Hyperlink

[Link Text](https://www.example.com)

Link Text

Headers

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Unordered List

- Item 1
- Item 2
  - Sub-item
  • Item 1
  • Item 2
    • Sub-item

Ordered List

1. First Item
2. Second Item
3. Third Item
  1. First Item
  2. Second Item
  3. Third Item

Extended Syntax

These advanced features go beyond basic Markdown. Most platforms support them — especially GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM).

Tables

| Header 1 | Header 2 | Header 3 |
|----------|:---------|--------:|
| Left     | Center   | Right   |
| Cell     | Cell     | Cell    |
Header 1Header 2Header 3
LeftCenterRight
CellCellCell

Task Lists

- [x] Completed task
- [ ] Unfinished task
- [ ] Another task
  • Completed task
  • Unfinished task
  • Another task

Fenced Code Blocks

```javascript
function greet(name) {
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}
```
function greet(name) {
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}

Strikethrough

~~Mistaken text~~

Mistaken text

Footnotes

Here is a sentence with a footnote[^1].

[^1]: This is the footnote text.

Here is a sentence with a footnote[1].

[1] This is the footnote text.

Definition Lists

Term
: Definition of the term.

Another Term
: Another definition.
Term
Definition of the term.
Another Term
Another definition.

Smart Punctuation

She said "Hello" -- world... → "Hello" — world…

She said "Hello" — world…

Markdown Tools

Discover curated tools and editors for working with Markdown every day.

Typora

A minimal Markdown editor with live preview, inline math, and diagram support. Exports to PDF, HTML, Word, and more.

Visit Typora →

Obsidian

A powerful knowledge base that uses Markdown natively. Links, backlinks, graphs, and plugins — built for people who think in connections.

Visit Obsidian →

Mark Text

Fast, open-source editor with a clean distraction-free interface. Supports tables, flowcharts, and GFM out of the box.

Visit Mark Text →

Dillinger

Online Markdown editor with cloud sync to Dropbox, GitHub, and more. No install needed — great for quick edits from any device.

Visit Dillinger →

Markdown Live Preview

Paste Markdown and get instant HTML rendering. Useful for testing syntax without opening any app.

Try it →