What is Markdown?
Markdown is a simple way, using normal text characters, to add formatting to basic plain text files. It is a lightweight markup language with a simple syntax that does not get in the way of your text.
What is a .md file?
A .md file is a plain text file written in Markdown. The .md
extension, short for Markdown, tells editors and tools to treat the file as Markdown so they
can show it with formatting. Because it is just text, it opens in any editor and works
cleanly with version control.
What is Markdown used for?
Markdown is commonly used for writing documentation. It also turns up in README files, notes, blog posts, static websites, wikis, chat messages, forum posts and academic writing. It is useful wherever you want the convenience of editing plain text but want to add just a little bit of formatting and structure to your documents.
How do I use Markdown?
You can create a new text file with a .md extension and just start writing text
using the simple Markdown format. There are many
tools which can help you with editing and can also show you a fully
formatted version.
Explore
Basics
The core syntax: everything you need to write a complete document with nothing but your keyboard.
- How it works
- Headings
- Formatting
- Lists
- Images
- Links
- Code
- Quotes
- HTML markup
- Cheat sheet
- Compatibility
Extensions
Beyond the core: flavours and plugins that add tables, task lists, footnotes, diagrams, math and more.
- GitHub Flavored Markdown
- Tables
- Task lists
- Diagrams & charts
- Math & formulas
- Footnotes & callouts
- Front matter
- Table of contents
- More extensions
Tools
A directory of editors, converters and apps for writing and managing Markdown on every platform.
Open the directory →Developers
Markdown parsing and rendering libraries for building Markdown into your own software, grouped by language.
Browse libraries →Why Markdown?
Because it is just text. It is readable before it is rendered, it works in any editor, it diffs cleanly in version control, and it has become the default format for README files, documentation, notes, static sites, chat messages and academic writing alike. Learn it once and you can write for any of them.