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Markdown File Format Guide

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that allows you to format plain text using simple syntax. It is widely used for documentation, README files, blogging, and note‑taking due to its readability and ease of use.

Table of Contents​

What is Markdown?​

Markdown is a plain text formatting syntax created by John Gruber in 2004. Its goal is to be as readable as possible in its raw form, while also being easy to convert to HTML and other formats.

Basic Syntax​

Headings​

Use # for headings. The number of # symbols indicates the heading level.

# Heading 1

## Heading 2

### Heading 3

#### Heading 4

##### Heading 5

###### Heading 6

Paragraphs​

Separate paragraphs with a blank line.

This is the first paragraph.

This is the second paragraph.

Line Breaks​

End a line with two or more spaces, or use <br>.

First line.  
Second line.

Emphasis​

  • Italic: _italic_ or *italic*
  • Bold: __bold__ or **bold**
  • Bold and Italic: **_bold and italic_**

Blockquotes​

Use > to create blockquotes.

> This is a blockquote.

Lists​

Unordered List
Use -, *, or +.

- Item 1
- Item 2
  - Subitem 2.1
  - Subitem 2.2

Ordered List
Use numbers followed by a period.

1. First item
2. Second item
   1. Subitem 2.1
   2. Subitem 2.2
[Link Text](https://example.com)

Images​

![Alt Text](https://placehold.co/600x400)

Code​

Inline Code
Wrap code with backticks: `code`

Code Block

def hello():
    print("Hello, Markdown!")

Horizontal Rules​

Use three or more dashes, asterisks, or underscores.

---
---

---

Advanced Syntax​

Tables​

| Header 1 | Header 2 |
| -------- | -------- |
| Row 1    | Data     |
| Row 2    | Data     |

Task Lists​

- [x] Completed task
- [ ] Incomplete task

Footnotes​

Here is a footnote reference.[^1]

[^1]: This is the footnote.

Strikethrough​

~~This text is struck through.~~
<https://example.com>

Escaping Characters​

Use a backslash \ before special characters.

\*Not italicized\*

Best Practices​

  • Use consistent heading levels.
  • Keep lines under 80 characters for readability.
  • Use blank lines to separate blocks of text.
  • Preview your Markdown to ensure correct formatting.

Resources​

✨ Fixed issues:

  • Removed “markdown / Copy Code” clutter.
  • Corrected heading hierarchy (## instead of # for subsections).
  • Fixed broken blockquote/list formatting.
  • Added missing links in Resources.
  • Cleaned up examples into proper fenced code blocks.

Do you want me to also make a “print‑ready” beginner cheat sheet (like a 1‑page PDF) from this?