A plain-text formatting syntax that converts to HTML using simple symbols like # and **.

How do I make text bold in Markdown?

Wrap it in double asterisks: **like this**.

Where is Markdown used?

GitHub, chat apps, notes tools, forums and static-site generators, among many others.

Markdown: A Beginner's Guide

Published 9/25/2025 · 3 min read · Developer tools

Daniel Okonkwo — Front-end developer and tech writer at Allin

Web performance · File formats

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In short

Markdown is a simple way to format plain text using punctuation: # for headings, ** for bold, * for italics, - for bullet lists, and [text](url) for links. You write it in normal text and it converts to formatted HTML. It's used across GitHub, chat apps, notes tools and static sites because it's readable as-is and quick to type.

Format plain text with a few symbols: # for headings, ** for bold, - for lists. Here's what markdown is, the core syntax, why it's everywhere, and the gotchas.

What markdown is

Markdown is a lightweight markup language: a set of plain-text conventions that a program turns into formatted output, usually HTML. The point is that the raw text stays readable — a heading marked with # or a list marked with dashes looks structured even before it's rendered. You get the clarity of formatting without leaving a plain-text file or reaching for a mouse, which is why writers and developers took to it so quickly.

The core syntax

The essentials fit in a few lines. A # makes a heading, and more hashes make smaller subheadings. Two asterisks around text make it **bold**, one makes it *italic*. Lines starting with - or * become bullet points, and lines starting with 1. become a numbered list. Links are [visible text](the-url), and an image is the same with a ! in front. Backticks mark `code`. Master those and you can format almost anything.

Why it's everywhere

Markdown spread because it's portable and future-proof. It's just text, so it opens in any editor, copies cleanly between apps and will still be readable in decades. GitHub uses it for READMEs and issues, Reddit and forums for posts, chat apps like Slack and Discord for message formatting, and note tools and static-site generators for whole documents. Learn it once and the same handful of symbols works across all of them.

Gotchas and flavours

A couple of things trip up beginners. Blank lines matter: paragraphs need an empty line between them, and a list often needs one before it to render. And markdown isn't a single standard — it comes in 'flavours'. Core features work everywhere, but extras like tables, task lists and strikethrough are extensions that some tools support and others don't. When in doubt, GitHub-Flavoured Markdown and the CommonMark spec are the two safest reference points.

Markdown to HTMLSee your Markdown rendered live and copy the clean HTML behind it.Try the tool →

Frequently asked questions

What is Markdown?: A plain-text formatting syntax that converts to HTML using simple symbols like # and **.
How do I make text bold in Markdown?: Wrap it in double asterisks: **like this**.
Where is Markdown used?: GitHub, chat apps, notes tools, forums and static-site generators, among many others.

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