Updated June 29, 2026

Markdown cheat sheet

Markdown formats plain text with a few simple marks. This sheet covers the common syntax, including the GitHub Flavored Markdown extensions for tables and task lists. Copy any snippet to reuse it.

Text and headings

Syntax	Result
`# Heading 1`	A top-level heading.
`## Heading 2`	A second-level heading.
`bold`	Bold text.
`italic`	Italic text.
`~~strikethrough~~`	Struck-through text.
`> quote`	A block quote.

Lists

Syntax	Result
`- item`	A bullet list item.
`1. item`	A numbered list item.
`- [ ] task`	An unchecked task list item.
`- [x] task`	A checked task list item.

Links, images, and code

Syntax	Result
`[label](https://example.com)`	A hyperlink.
`![alt](image.png)`	An embedded image.
`inline code`	Inline code.
`---`	A horizontal rule.

Snippet: a code block

Fence code with triple backticks and an optional language.

```js
console.log("hello");
```

Snippet: a table

Pipes separate columns; the dashes row sets the header.

| Name | Role     |
| ---- | -------- |
| Ada  | author   |
| Grace| engineer |

Flavors differTables, task lists, and strikethrough come from GitHub Flavored Markdown. Plain CommonMark covers the headings, emphasis, lists, links, and code above.

References

Questions

How do I make a line break in Markdown?

End a line with two spaces, or leave a blank line to start a new paragraph. Some editors also treat a single newline as a break.

Does every app support tables and task lists?

Not all. Tables, task lists, and strikethrough are GitHub Flavored Markdown extensions. Basic CommonMark may not render them.