Work & productivity / QUICK REFERENCE
Markdown essentials
Write readable headings, lists, links and code, with CommonMark separated from GitHub extensions.
Structure and emphasis
- Main heading
# Project notesLeave a space after the hash. [1]
- Second-level heading
## InstallationPreserve a meaningful heading hierarchy. [1]
- Third-level heading
### RequirementsAvoid choosing a level only for visual size. [1]
- Separate paragraphs
First paragraph. Second paragraph.A blank line separates paragraph blocks. [1]
- Emphasis
*important*Commonly rendered in italics. [1]
- Strong emphasis
**important**Commonly rendered in bold. [1]
- Inline code
`git status`Keeps code visually distinct from prose. [1]
- Horizontal rule
---Put blank lines around it to avoid heading ambiguity. [1]
Lists and quotations
- Unordered list
- First item - Second itemRepeated markers form list items. [1]
- Ordered list
1. First step 2. Second stepRenderers number the list from its start value. [1]
- Nested bullet
- Parent - ChildIndent sufficiently to belong to the parent item. [1]
- Multi-paragraph list item
- First paragraph Second paragraphIndentation keeps the second paragraph in the same item. [1]
- Block quotation
> Quoted sentence.Use quotations for actual quoted material. [1]
- Nested quotation
> Outer quote > > Inner quoteAdditional markers nest the quotation. [1]
- Code fence
``` git status ```Fences preserve code as literal content. [1]
- Code fence with language
```python print('Atlas') ```Syntax highlighting depends on the renderer. [1]
Links and useful extensions
- Inline link
[Project](https://example.com)Use a meaningful link label. [2]
- Link title
[Project](https://example.com "Project homepage")Tooltip/title support varies by application. [2]
- Image with alt text
Alt text should describe useful image content. [2]
- Reference-style link
[Project][home] [home]: https://example.comSeparates the destination from the prose. [2]
- Escape an asterisk
\*literal asterisk\*Backslashes escape Markdown punctuation. [2]
- GFM task list
- [ ] Pending - [x] CompleteTask boxes are a GitHub extension, not core CommonMark. [2]
- GFM strikethrough
~~obsolete~~A GitHub extension using pairs of tildes. [2]
- GFM table
| Tool | Use | | --- | --- | | Git | History |Tables are an extension; accessibility may need more than a simple table. [2]
Reserved placement, separate from reference controls. No ad network is active.
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Sources
cheatsheetatlas.com/sheets/markdown/ · Updated 2026-10-19 · CommonMark 0.31.2 / labeled GFM additions