Write Once. Publish Anywhere.
Markdown is the closest thing the internet has to a universal writing format. Write it once and it works on GitHub, Reddit, Notion, Ghost, Obsidian, Discord, Slack, Stack Overflow, dev.to, Hashnode, and hundreds of other platforms. Most static site generators and many WordPress plugins support it. Even many email marketing platforms accept Markdown now.
The idea is simple — instead of clicking buttons in a toolbar to format text, you type symbols alongside your words. Two asterisks around a word makes it bold. A hash at the start of a line makes it a heading. A hyphen at the start makes it a bullet point. The formatting is readable even in its raw form, and it converts to clean HTML automatically.
This tool lets you write Markdown on the left and see exactly how it will look when rendered on the right — in real time, with no delay.
—The Complete Markdown Syntax Reference
Headings
Use hash symbols at the start of a line. One hash for H1, two for H2, up to six for H6.
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
Bold and Italic
**bold text** or __bold text__ renders as bold text
*italic text* or _italic text_ renders as italic text
***bold and italic*** renders as bold and italic
Lists
Unordered lists use hyphens, asterisks, or plus signs:
- Item one- Item two- Item three
Ordered lists use numbers followed by periods:
1. First item2. Second item3. Third item
Indent with two or four spaces to create nested lists.
Links
[Link text](https://example.com) — the text in square brackets becomes the clickable link, the URL in parentheses is the destination.
[Link text](https://example.com "Hover title") — add a title in quotes for a tooltip on hover.
Images
 — same syntax as links but with an exclamation mark at the start. The alt text goes in square brackets, the image URL in parentheses.
Code
Inline code: wrap text in single backticks. `code here`
Code blocks: wrap in triple backticks. Add the language name after the first set of backticks for syntax highlighting.
```javascriptconst greeting = "hello";```
Blockquotes
Start a line with a greater-than symbol: > This text appears as a blockquote
Nest blockquotes by adding more symbols: >> Nested blockquote
Horizontal Rules
Three or more hyphens, asterisks, or underscores on their own line create a horizontal dividing line:
--- or *** or ___
Tables
Tables use pipes and hyphens:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|----------|----------|----------|
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 | Cell 3 |
The second row with hyphens defines the header separator. Colons inside the hyphens control alignment: :--- left, :---: center, ---: right.
Where Markdown Is Actually Used
GitHub and GitLab — README files, pull request descriptions, issue comments, and wikis all use Markdown. Every repository on GitHub with a README.md file is displaying rendered Markdown. If you contribute to open source, you write Markdown.
Notion — Notion’s editor accepts Markdown shortcuts. Type # and space to create a heading. Type – and space for a bullet point. Type “` for a code block. Knowing Markdown makes Notion significantly faster to use.
Reddit — Reddit’s old interface uses Markdown for all post and comment formatting. The new interface has a visual editor but Markdown mode is still available and preferred by many long-time users.
Discord and Slack — Both platforms support a subset of Markdown for message formatting. Bold, italic, code blocks, and strikethrough all work using standard Markdown syntax.
Ghost and Hashnode — These blogging platforms are built around Markdown as the primary writing format. Write in Markdown and the platform handles converting it to the HTML that appears on your blog.
Obsidian and Logseq — These note-taking applications store all notes as Markdown files. Your notes are plain text files on your device that any text editor can open, not locked inside a proprietary format.
—Markdown vs HTML — When to Use Each
Markdown is faster to write than HTML for standard content — headings, paragraphs, lists, links, and emphasis. A Markdown heading takes three characters. An HTML heading takes fifteen characters for opening and closing tags plus the content.
HTML is more flexible than Markdown when you need specific styling, complex layouts, custom attributes, or elements that Markdown does not support. Most Markdown processors allow raw HTML to be mixed in when you need something Markdown cannot express.
For writing content — articles, documentation, notes, README files — Markdown is almost always faster and easier. For building web page structure and layout, HTML is the right tool.
—Frequently Asked Questions
Is Markdown the same everywhere?
The core syntax is standardized by CommonMark, but many platforms have added their own extensions. GitHub Flavored Markdown adds tables, task lists, and strikethrough. Some platforms support footnotes, definition lists, and custom containers. This previewer supports standard CommonMark syntax which works across most platforms.
Can I use Markdown in WordPress?
Yes. The Jetpack plugin includes a Markdown module. The Markdown Blocks plugin adds a Markdown block to the Gutenberg editor. Some themes and page builders also support Markdown input directly.
How do I add a line break in Markdown?
End a line with two or more spaces before pressing Enter to create a line break within a paragraph. A blank line between text blocks creates a new paragraph. This is one of the less intuitive aspects of Markdown syntax.
Does Markdown support text color?
Standard Markdown does not support text color. To add colored text in a Markdown document, use inline HTML: <span style="color:red">red text</span>. This works on platforms that allow HTML in Markdown but not on platforms that strip HTML for security.
Is this previewer free?
Yes, completely free. Write and preview Markdown with no account required and no limits. Your text stays in your browser and is never sent to any server.
—Write It Here. Paste It Anywhere.
Type your Markdown in the editor on the left. The preview on the right shows exactly how it will render when you paste it into GitHub, Notion, Reddit, or any other Markdown-supporting platform.
When it looks right in the preview, it will look right everywhere.