Getting Started with Markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It allows you to write formatted text using plain text syntax, which is then converted to HTML.

Why Markdown?

Readable — Markdown files are plain text, readable in any editor
Portable — Works everywhere: GitHub, Notion, blog platforms, docs
Fast — No need to reach for the mouse or toolbar to format text

Basic Syntax

Headings

Use # for headings. One # for H1, two for H2, and so on.

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Text Formatting

You can make text bold, italic, or both. You can also ~~strikethrough~~ text.

Lists

Unordered list:

Item one
Item two
- Nested item

Ordered list:

First
Second
Third

Links and Images

[Link text](https://example.com)
![Alt text](image.png)

Blockquotes

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. — Leonardo da Vinci

Code

Inline code: console.log("Hello, world!")

Code block:

function greet(name) {
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}

Tables

Column A	Column B	Column C
Cell 1	Cell 2	Cell 3
Cell 4	Cell 5	Cell 6

Conclusion

Markdown is the fastest way to write structured content. Once you know the basics, you'll reach for it everywhere — from README files to blog posts.