Markdown, made useful.
Learn to write clear, useful documents without spending the afternoon on formatting.
Learn the basics, find the syntax you forgot, or grab a template and get on with your day.
Start with the basics · Open the cheat sheet
What do you need?
I’m new to this.
Start with a short note. Add a heading, a list, and a link. That’s enough to make something useful.
Write your first Markdown note
I know what I want. I forgot how to type it.
Headings, links, lists, images, and the small details that are easy to mix up.
I’d rather start with a template.
A daily note, a meeting record, a project brief, and a reading note. Copy what helps. Delete what doesn’t.
Something looks wrong.
A heading that stayed a hashtag. A list that won’t nest. A table that is still a row of pipes. Let’s find the cause.
Fix a specific problem
- Markdown line breaks: choose a paragraph or an intentional new line.
- Markdown nested lists: line up child items beneath their parent.
- Markdown images: add an image and find out why a path fails.
- YAML front matter: understand metadata before adding fields.
Why Markdown?
Markdown lets you add structure while you write. A # starts a heading. A dash starts a list. The document is still plain text, so you can read the source without a special viewer.
It works well for notes, drafts, instructions, and other writing that needs a clear shape. Elaborate page layouts usually need another tool.
A small thing to know before you start
Markdown apps don’t all support the same features. The basics travel well. Tables, checkboxes, footnotes, and app-specific links deserve a quick check before you rely on them.
About this resource
I build Ledge, and I care about making Markdown easier to use. These guides are here to help you write in whatever app works for you.
You can use everything here without an account or an email address.