Markdown 101: A Quick Reference Guide

Markdown is a lightweight markup language for creating formatted text using a plain-text editor. It's simple, portable, and widely supported, making it an ideal choice for documentation. This guide provides a quick reference to the most common Markdown syntax.

Basic Syntax

Element	Syntax	Example
Headings	# H1 ## H2 ### H3	Renders as different heading levels.
Bold	**bold text** or __bold text__	bold text
Italic	*italic text* or _italic text_	italic text
Blockquote	> quoted text	> quoted text
Ordered List	1. First item 2. Second item	1. First item 2. Second item
Unordered List	- An item * An item + An item	• An item • An item • An item
Inline Code	`code`	code
Link	[title](https://www.example.com)	title
Image		Renders an image with alt text.

Advanced Syntax

Code Blocks

To create a fenced code block, wrap your code in triple backticks (``````). You can also specify the language for syntax highlighting.

function greet() {
  console.log("Hello, world!");
}

Tables

Create tables using pipes (|) to define columns and hyphens (-) for the header separator. Use colons (:) to align columns.

Syntax	Description
`	`
:---	Left-align
:--:	Center-align
---:	Right-align

Example:

| Item      | Quantity |
| :-------- | -------: |
| Apples    |        3 |
| Oranges   |        5 |

Task Lists

Create task lists using hyphens followed by square brackets. Mark a task as complete by adding an x inside the brackets.

• Completed task
• Incomplete task

Best Practices for Documentation

• Structure with Headings: Use headings to create a clear hierarchy.
• Use Lists: Organize information with bulleted or numbered lists.
• Be Consistent: Stick to a consistent style for syntax (e.g., use * or _ for emphasis, but not both).
• Keep Lines Short: For readability in raw text, consider wrapping lines at 80 characters.
• Preview Your Work: Always check the rendered output to ensure formatting is correct.

For more detailed information, refer to the Markdown Guide.