Markdown Basics: Formatting Notes Using Only Plain Text

Plain text is fast and reliable, but sometimes you'd like a heading or a bullet list. Markdown lets you add structure using ordinary characters, so your notes stay plain text.

The basics

You type	It means
# Heading	a large heading
## Subheading	a smaller heading
bold: two asterisks around text	bold text
italic: one asterisk around text	italic text
- item	a bullet point
1. item	a numbered item
text	a hyperlink
> quote	a quotation

The symbols are readable even when not formatted, so the note still looks tidy in a plain-text editor.

An example note

# Shopping list
- Milk
- Bread
- **Eggs** (important!)

## Later
1. Call the plumber
2. Pay the bill

In a viewer that understands Markdown, this appears with a heading, bullets and bold text. In a plain editor, it still reads well.

Why use Markdown?

1. It's portable. The file is plain text, so any editor can open it.
2. It's fast. No menus: you just type.
3. It's future-proof. Plain text doesn't depend on any one app.
4. It converts easily to web pages, documents or slides with other tools.

Where it's used

Markdown files usually end in .md. Many developers use it for README files, and many writers use it for notes and articles.

Tips for beginners

• Leave a blank line between paragraphs.
• Put a space after # and -.
• Keep it simple. Headings and lists cover most needs.
• Don't worry about the preview. The value is in the structure.

In a text editor

A lightweight editor is enough. You can write and save a file with the .md extension, and open it later in any editor.

Get Notepad+ Text Editor →