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Markdown Preview FAQ — Syntax, GFM Tables & Live Editing

Answers about Markdown syntax: headings, links, tables, code blocks, GFM extensions, and how to preview Markdown in real time.

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Q1 What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that uses plain-text formatting syntax to create rich documents. Created by John Gruber in 2004, it is used everywhere: GitHub READMEs, documentation, blogs, and note-taking apps. Preview your Markdown live with the Markdown Preview.

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Q2 How do I create a heading in Markdown?

Use # symbols: # H1, ## H2, ### H3, up to ###### H6. Always include a space after the #. Best practice: use only one H1 per document.

Q3 How do I create a link in Markdown?

Inline link: [Link Text](https://example.com). With title: [Text](url "Title"). Reference-style: [Text][1] then [1]: url at the bottom. In GFM, bare URLs are automatically linked.

Q4 How do I create a table in Markdown?

Use pipes and hyphens: | Header 1 | Header 2 | then |----------|----------| then | Cell 1 | Cell 2 |. Alignment: :--- (left), :---: (center), ---: (right). Tables are a GFM extension.

Q5 How do I add an image in Markdown?

Syntax: ![Alt text](image-url). With title: ![Alt](url "Title"). For sizing, most renderers support HTML: <img src="url" width="300">. Always include meaningful alt text.

Q6 How do I create a code block in Markdown?

Inline code: wrap in backticks. Fenced code block: wrap in triple backticks with optional language for syntax highlighting. Indented code block: indent each line by 4 spaces. Fenced blocks are preferred.

Q7 What is GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)?

GFM is GitHub's extension of standard Markdown. It adds: tables, task lists, strikethrough, autolinks, fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting, and emoji shortcodes. GFM is the de facto standard for developer documentation.

Q8 How do I create a task list in Markdown?

GFM task lists: - [x] Completed task and - [ ] Pending task. The checkbox renders as an interactive element on GitHub. Task lists work in issues, PRs, and README files.

Q9 How do I add bold and italic text?

Bold: **bold text**. Italic: *italic text*. Bold and italic: ***both***. Strikethrough (GFM): ~~deleted~~.

Q10 How do I create a list in Markdown?

Unordered: start lines with -, *, or +. Ordered: start with numbers. Nested: indent by 2-4 spaces. Ordered lists auto-number.

Q11 How do I add a horizontal rule in Markdown?

Use three or more hyphens (---), asterisks (***), or underscores (___) on their own line. Add a blank line before and after.

Q12 How do I create a blockquote?

Prefix lines with >. Nested quotes: > > Nested. Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements.

Q13 What Markdown editor should I use?

For quick editing, use the online Markdown Preview. Desktop editors: VS Code (with Markdown All in One extension), Typora, Obsidian, iA Writer. For documentation: Docusaurus, MkDocs.

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Q14 How do I add a line break in Markdown?

End a line with two or more spaces before the newline. Or use a backslash. Or use HTML: <br>. A blank line creates a new paragraph.

Q15 How do I escape Markdown syntax?

Prefix special characters with a backslash: \*not italic\*. Inside code blocks (backticks), no escaping is needed.

Q16 Can I use HTML in Markdown?

Yes. Most Markdown renderers allow inline HTML. GitHub allows a subset of HTML. Markdown inside HTML blocks may not be processed. Use HTML sparingly.

Q17 How do I add a footnote in Markdown?

Some extended flavors support footnotes: Text[^1] then [^1]: Footnote content. Supported in: GitHub, Pandoc, PHP Markdown Extra.

Q18 What is MDX?

MDX lets you use JSX (React components) inside Markdown documents. It combines Markdown's simplicity with React's interactivity. Used by: Next.js docs, Docusaurus, Storybook.

Q19 How do I convert Markdown to HTML?

CLI: pandoc input.md -o output.html. Python: import markdown; html = markdown.markdown(text). JavaScript: marked.parse(markdownText). For quick conversion, use the Markdown Preview.

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Q20 How do I create a diagram in Markdown?

Use Mermaid syntax in fenced code blocks. GitHub, GitLab, and many doc tools render Mermaid diagrams. Supported types: flowcharts, sequence diagrams, Gantt charts, class diagrams.