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Markdown Cheatsheet — NextUtils
Complete GFM syntax reference with live rendered examples and copy buttons.
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Markdown Cheatsheet
Complete syntax reference for CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) — with live rendered examples and one-click copy. Convert instantly with our Markdown to HTML Converter or Markdown to PDF Converter.
Headings
Markdown supports six heading levels using the # prefix (ATX style). Setext style uses underlines for H1 and H2.
H1
# Heading 1
Heading 1
H2
## Heading 2
Heading 2
H3
### Heading 3
Heading 3
H4
#### Heading 4
Heading 4
H5
##### Heading 5
Heading 5
H6
###### Heading 6
Heading 6
Setext H1
Heading 1 =========
Alternative syntax — underline with = for H1, - for H2
Heading 1
Setext H2
Heading 2 ---------
Heading 2
Emphasis & Inline Formatting
Bold, italic, bold+italic, strikethrough (GFM), inline code, and keyboard-shortcut notation.
Bold
**bold text**
bold text
Bold (alt)
__bold text__
bold text
Italic
*italic text*
italic text
Italic (alt)
_italic text_
italic text
Bold + Italic
***bold and italic***
bold and italic
Strikethrough (GFM)
~~strikethrough~~
Requires GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)
strikethrough
Inline Code
`inline code`
inline code
Lists
Unordered lists use -, *, or + as bullets. Ordered lists use numbers. Nesting is done with 2-space indentation.
Unordered List
- Item 1 - Item 2 - Item 3
- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3
Ordered List
1. First item 2. Second item 3. Third item
- First item
- Second item
- Third item
Nested List
- Parent item
- Child item
- Grandchild itemIndent nested items by 2 spaces
- Parent item
- Child item
- Grandchild item
- Child item
Mixed Nesting
1. First - Bullet under ordered 2. Second
- First
- Bullet under ordered
- Second
Links & Images
Inline links, reference-style links, auto-links, and image syntax. Images use the same syntax as links but with a ! prefix.
Inline Link
[link text](https://example.com)
Link with Title
[link text](https://example.com "Tooltip title")
Title shows on hover
Reference Link
[link text][ref] [ref]: https://example.com
Reference defined anywhere in the document
Auto Link (GFM)
<https://example.com>
Image
Image with Title
Linked Image
[](https://example.com)
Wrap image syntax in a link
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Code
Inline code uses single backticks. Fenced code blocks use triple backticks and support optional language identifiers for syntax highlighting.
Inline Code
Use `const x = 1;` inline.
Use const x = 1; inline.
Fenced Code Block
```javascript const greeting = "Hello, world!"; console.log(greeting); ```
Add language name after opening ``` for syntax highlighting
const greeting = "Hello, world!";
console.log(greeting);
Fenced (no language)
``` plain text code block ```
plain text code block
Indented Block
const x = 1;
const y = 2;Indent by 4 spaces or 1 tab
const x = 1;
const y = 2;
Tables (GFM)
Tables are a GitHub Flavored Markdown extension. Use pipe characters (|) for columns and hyphens (---) for the header divider. Colons control column alignment.
Basic Table
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |----------|----------|----------| | Cell A | Cell B | Cell C | | Cell D | Cell E | Cell F |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cell A | Cell B | Cell C |
| Cell D | Cell E | Cell F |
Column Alignment
| Left | Center | Right | |:---------|:--------:|---------:| | aligned | centered | right |
:--- left-align, :---: center, ---: right-align
| Left | Center | Right |
|---|---|---|
| aligned | centered | right |
Blockquotes
Blockquotes use the > prefix. They can be nested and can contain other Markdown elements including headings, lists, and code.
Blockquote
> This is a blockquote.
This is a blockquote.
Multi-line
> First line of the quote. > Second line continues here.
First line of the quote. Second line continues here.
Nested Blockquote
> Outer quote > >> Nested inner quote
Outer quote
Nested inner quote
Quote with Heading
> ### Note > Important information here.
Note
Important information here.
Task Lists (GFM)
Task lists render interactive checkboxes. Widely used in GitHub issues and pull requests. An x inside [ ] marks a task as complete.
Task List
- [x] Completed task - [x] Another done item - [ ] Incomplete task - [ ] Not started yet
[x] = checked, [ ] = unchecked
- Completed task
- Another done item
- Incomplete task
- Not started yet
Horizontal Rules
Horizontal rules create a thematic break between sections. Use three or more hyphens, asterisks, or underscores on their own line.
Hyphens
---
Asterisks
***
Underscores
___
Spaced Hyphens
- - -
Spaces between characters also work
GFM Extensions
GitHub Flavored Markdown adds strikethrough, automatic URL linking, and other extensions on top of CommonMark.
Strikethrough
~~deleted text~~
deleted text
Auto URL Link
Visit https://example.com for details.
GFM auto-links bare URLs without <> brackets
Visit https://example.com for details.
Highlight (extended)
Use ==highlighted== text.
Supported by some parsers (Obsidian, Markdown-it)
Use ==highlighted== text.
Escaping Characters
Prefix any special Markdown character with a backslash (\) to display it literally instead of as formatting.
Escape Asterisk
\*not italic\*
*not italic*
Escape Hash
\# Not a heading
# Not a heading
Escape Backtick
\`not code\`
`not code`
Escape Brackets
\[not a link\]
[not a link]
All Escapable Chars
\\ \` \* \_ \{ \} \[ \] \( \) \# \+ \- \. \!Backslash escapes any of these 16 characters
\ ` * _ { } [ ] ( ) # + - . !
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the syntax for a Markdown table?
Use pipe characters (|) to separate columns and hyphens (---) for the header divider. Add colons for alignment: |:---| for left, |:---:| for center, |---:| for right. Tables are a GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) extension.
How do I create a fenced code block in Markdown?
Use three backticks (```) on their own line before and after your code. Add a language name after the opening backticks (e.g. ```javascript) for syntax highlighting. For inline code, wrap text in single backticks.
What is the difference between Markdown and GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)?
CommonMark covers headings, emphasis, lists, links, code, blockquotes, and horizontal rules. GFM adds tables, strikethrough (~~text~~), task lists (- [x]), fenced code blocks with language IDs, and auto URL linking.
How do I make text bold and italic at the same time in Markdown?
Wrap text in three asterisks or underscores: ***bold and italic*** or ___bold and italic___. For bold only use **, for italic only use *.
How do I escape special characters in Markdown?
Prefix any special character with a backslash (\). For example, \* shows a literal asterisk, \# shows a literal hash, and \` shows a literal backtick. You can escape: \ ` * _ { } [ ] ( ) # + - . !
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