The Markdown syntax cheatsheet
Every Markdown construct you actually use, in one place — headings, emphasis, lists, links, code, tables, and the GitHub-flavored extras worth knowing.
Markdown is small enough to learn in an afternoon and keep for life. The Markdown Cheatsheet generates a copy-ready reference; here's the tour of what's on it and the few rules worth internalizing.
The core syntax
# H1 ## H2 ### H3
*italic* **bold** ~~strikethrough~~
- bullet
- nested bullet
1. numbered
[link](https://example.com)
`inline code`
> blockquote
That covers the vast majority of everything you'll ever write.
The one rule people miss: blank lines
Markdown uses blank lines to separate blocks. A list or a heading often needs a blank line before it to render, and two lines of text with no blank line between them become one paragraph. When something "won't format," a missing blank line is the usual culprit.
GitHub-flavored extras
Beyond the original spec, GitHub-flavored Markdown (GFM) adds the parts modern docs rely on:
| Col A | Col B |
| ----- | ----- |
| a | b |
- [x] done
- [ ] todo
A footnote.[^1]
[^1]: The note text.
Tables, task lists, and footnotes work on GitHub and most modern renderers.
Fenced code with a language
Add a language after the opening fence for syntax highlighting:
```js
const x = 1;
```
When you forget
That's the point of the tool — generate the cheatsheet, keep it handy, and reach for it whenever a construct slips your mind. To check that something renders the way you expect, paste it into Live Markdown Preview.
Learn the core, remember the blank-line rule, and keep the rest a click away.