Markdown Syntax Cheat Sheet
This is a quick reference for the Markdown syntax elements you will use most often. Bookmark it and come back whenever you need to look something up. All syntax below works in standard Markdown and GitHub-Flavored Markdown (GFM).
Headings
| Markdown | Result |
|---|---|
| # Heading 1 | Largest heading (H1) |
| ## Heading 2 | Second level (H2) |
| ### Heading 3 | Third level (H3) |
| #### Heading 4 | Fourth level (H4) |
Use a single # per document for the page title. Use ## and ### for sections and subsections.
Text emphasis
| Markdown | Result |
|---|---|
| **bold text** | bold text |
| *italic text* | italic text |
| ***bold and italic*** | bold and italic |
| ~~strikethrough~~ | strikethrough (GFM) |
| `inline code` | inline code |
Lists
| Markdown | Result |
|---|---|
| - Item one - Item two - Item three | Unordered (bullet) list |
| 1. First 2. Second 3. Third | Ordered (numbered) list |
| - Parent - Child - Child | Nested list (indent with 2 spaces) |
| - [x] Done - [ ] Not done | Task list / checkbox (GFM) |
Links and images
| Markdown | Result |
|---|---|
| [Link text](https://example.com) | Clickable hyperlink |
| [Link text](https://example.com "Title") | Link with hover title |
|  | Embedded image |
Code blocks
| Markdown | Result |
|---|---|
| ``` code here ``` | Fenced code block |
| ```javascript const x = 1; ``` | Code block with syntax highlighting |
Use three backticks (```) to start and end a code block. Add a language name after the opening backticks for syntax highlighting.
Tables (GFM)
| Markdown | Result |
|---|---|
| | Name | Role | | --- | --- | | Alice | Dev | | Bob | Design | | Two-column table with header row |
| | Left | Center | Right | | :--- | :---: | ---: | | Column alignment with colons |
Tables require the header separator row (| --- |). Use colons for alignment: :--- left, :---: center, ---: right.
Other elements
| Markdown | Result |
|---|---|
| > This is a blockquote | Indented quote block |
| --- | Horizontal rule / divider |
| Line one \nLine two | Line break (two trailing spaces or \n) |
Where to use Markdown
This syntax works in GitHub READMEs, Obsidian, Notion, VS Code, Docusaurus, Hugo, Jekyll, MkDocs, and most other Markdown-compatible tools. Some platforms add extensions (like Obsidian's [[wikilinks]]), but the core syntax above is universal.
When you convert a PDF to Markdown using our tool, the output uses these same syntax elements — headings, bold, italic, lists, and tables — so the file is ready to use anywhere.