How to Use Markdown for Writing

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Create headers with hash symbols

   Type one to six hash symbols followed by a space and your header text. Use # for the largest header (H1), ## for H2, ### for H3, and so on. Each additional hash creates a smaller header level.

   Note: Use only one H1 per document for better document structure and SEO.
2. 1 min

   Format text with asterisks and underscores

   Wrap text in single asterisks or underscores for *italic* formatting. Use double asterisks or underscores for bold text. Combine them for *bold italic* formatting by using three asterisks or underscores.

   Note: Asterisks work anywhere in a word, while underscores require word boundaries for proper rendering.
3. 1 min

   Create lists with dashes or numbers

   Start unordered list items with a dash, asterisk, or plus sign followed by a space. For ordered lists, use numbers followed by a period and space. Indent items with four spaces or a tab to create nested lists.

   Note: Use consistent symbols throughout your document. Mixing - and * in the same list can cause rendering issues.
4. 1 min

   Add links and images with brackets

   Create links by wrapping link text in square brackets followed by the URL in parentheses: link text. For images, add an exclamation mark before the brackets: !alt text.

   Note: Add link titles by including quoted text after the URL: [text](url "title") for hover tooltips.
5. 1 min

   Insert code with backticks

   Wrap inline code with single backticks: `code here`. For code blocks, use three backticks on separate lines before and after your code. Add a language name after the opening backticks for syntax highlighting.

   Note: Use four spaces instead of backticks for code blocks in basic Markdown parsers that don't support fenced code blocks.
6. 1 min

   Build tables with pipes and dashes

   Separate table columns with pipe symbols and create headers by adding a row of dashes below. Align columns by adding colons to the dash row: left (:--), center (:--:), or right (--:) alignment.

   Note: Tables must have headers to render properly. Use empty headers (| | |) if you don't need visible column titles.
7. 2 min

   Preview your Markdown output

   Use a Markdown editor like Typora, Mark Text, or online tools like Dillinger to see live previews. Most code editors including VS Code offer Markdown preview extensions. GitHub and Reddit also render Markdown in real-time.

   Note: Install a Markdown linter to catch syntax errors and ensure consistent formatting across your documents.