Cheatsheet: Markdown
Last updated 2026-06-21
Text and structure
Headings use one to six # characters.
Bold, italic, and combined emphasis.
Strikethrough is supported by GitHub Flavored Markdown.
Paragraphs are separated by a blank line.
Create a hard line break with two trailing spaces or a backslash.
Use a horizontal rule to separate sections.
Lists, links, and media
Unordered lists use -, *, or + markers.
Ordered lists use numbers followed by periods.
Task lists use checkboxes in GitHub Flavored Markdown.
Inline links use link text and a URL.
Reference-style links keep URLs elsewhere in the document.
Images use link syntax prefixed with an exclamation point.
Code, quotes, and tables
Inline code is wrapped in backticks.
Fenced code blocks use triple backticks and can include a language hint.
Indented code blocks use four leading spaces.
Blockquotes start with > and can be nested.
Tables use pipes and a separator row.
Align table columns with colons in the separator row.
Escape Markdown punctuation with a backslash when you need literal characters.
See also: