What is Markdown?

Markdown is a simple way of creating rich web content through simple text encoding.

This page provides the basics to get you writing.
If you want more detailed information then visit one of the many other more extensive guides:

Table of Contents

Headings

Headings are determined by number of hash marks '#'.

So the following markdown code: 
# Level1
## Level2
### Level3
#### Level4
##### Level5
Appears as the following:

Level1

Level2

Level3

Level4

Level5

Paragraphs & line breaks

Markdown requires a blank line to create a new paragraph. To create a new line or a line break, simply add two spaces to the end of a line after the text.

So the following markdown code: 
This is a line with two spaces at the end  
Another line

A new paragraph
Appears as the following:

This is a line
Another line

A new paragraph

Bold & italic text

It is possible to emphasize text by making it bold and italic.

So the following markdown code: 
**This is bold**  
*This is italic*
***This is both***
Appears as the following:
This is bold
This is italic
This is both

Links are an important part of online content. Making links in markdown is easy and elegant.
Note that the **square brackets []** contain the link text, and the **round brackets ()** contain the URL or relative path.

So the following markdown code: 
[this is the text that will become the link](https://www.markdownguide.org/getting-started/)  
Links can also be [relative](/), taking you to the landing page
Appears as the following:
this is the text that will become the link
Links can also be relative, taking you to the landing page

Images

Images are really just special links and therefore have similar syntax. Instead of linking to a website you link to an image file, but add an exclamation mark before []() combination. Therefore you must use ![]().

The base form for adding an image in markdown is ![A](B "C") where:

  • A is the text that appears if the image is not loaded,
  • B is the URL/path to the image, and
  • C is the text that appears when the cursor is over the image.
So the following markdown code: 
![The digilego logo](/imgs/logos/logo_and_text_black.svg)
![The digilego logo](/imgs/logos/logo_and_text_black.svg "Text that appears when you hover over the image with the cursor")
Appears as the following:
The digilego logo
The digilego logo

Blockquotes

Perhaps you would like to quote or highlight some text.

You simply need to add '>' before a line to quote it.

So the following markdown code: 
> "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing" -Walt Disney
Appears as the following:

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing" -Walt Disney

Code

If you wish to quote code there are a few different syntaxes you can use.

So the following markdown code: 
For `inline code` use single back ticks.

For larger blocks of code you can:
```
indicate it with triple back ticks
```

    or
    four
    leading
    spaces
Appears as the following:

For inline code use single back ticks.

For larger blocks of code you can:

indicate it with triple back ticks
    or
    four
    leading
    spaces

Lists

So the following markdown code: 
- Apple
- Banana
- Crown
   - four spaces creates a sub-list

1. Numbered lists
3. Require using any number
7. The numbers will automatically increment
Appears as the following:
  • Apple
  • Banana
  • Crown
    • four spaces creates a sub-list
  1. Numbered lists
  2. Require using any number
  3. The numbers will automatically increment

Horizontal rules

Creating a divider is simple. Just remember that spaces are necessary above and below the --- divider.

So the following markdown code: 
Above

---

Below
Appears as the following:
Above
Below

Escaping special characters

As markdown uses some characters to communicate syntax, using them in another context requires 'escaping' them.

The following characters require a \ to escape them:

  • \
  • `
  • *
  • _
  • {}
  • []
  • ()
  • #
  • +
  • -
  • .
  • !