The Complete Markdown Cheatsheet (2025) — Syntax, Examples & Tips

The Complete Markdown Cheatsheet (2025) — Syntax, Examples & Tips#

Markdown is still the fastest way to write content that works everywhere: GitHub, docs sites, issues, chat tools, and AI prompts. If you want one page you can bookmark and copy from, this is it.

This Markdown cheatsheet covers the essentials plus GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) extras, with copy-ready fenced examples, common pitfalls, and a quick reference table at the end.

Want to practice while you read? Open the editor in another tab: CreateMarkdown.xyz Editor.

What Is Markdown and Why It Matters in 2025#

Markdown is a plain-text format that converts cleanly into HTML (and other formats). In 2025 it matters more than ever because:

• It’s portable (works in git, email, editors, and docs systems)
• It’s diff-friendly (easy to review changes)
• It’s a great format for LLM prompts and technical writing (see Markdown for LLMs)

Basic Syntax#

Headings (H1–H6)#

# H1
## H2
### H3
#### H4
##### H5
###### H6

Tip: Use headings to create a table of contents and help scanners find what they need.

Bold, Italic, Strikethrough#

**bold**
*italic*
***bold + italic***
~~strikethrough~~

Ordered & Unordered Lists#

- bullet
- bullet
  - nested bullet
 
1. ordered
2. ordered
   1. nested ordered

Nested Lists (common pitfall: indentation)#

1. Step one
   - detail A
   - detail B
2. Step two
   - detail C

Blockquotes#

> This is a quote.
>
> It can span multiple lines.

Horizontal Rules#

---
***
___

Advanced Syntax#

Links (inline, reference-style)#

[Inline link](https://example.com)
 
[Reference link][docs]
 
[docs]: https://example.com/docs "Optional title"

Images#

![Alt text](/path/to/image.png)
![Alt text](https://example.com/image.png "Optional title")

Inline Code vs Code Blocks#

Use `inline code` for short identifiers like `npm run dev`.

```ts
export function hello(name: string) {
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}
```

Tables (GFM)#

| Feature | Markdown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tables | Yes (GFM) | Supported on GitHub |
| Footnotes | Depends | Not universal |
| Task lists | Yes (GFM) | Great for checklists |

Task Lists (GFM)#

- [x] done
- [ ] not done
- [ ] another item

Footnotes (CommonMark extension in some tools)#

Here is a statement with a footnote.[^1]
 
[^1]: Footnote text goes here.

GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) Extras#

GFM is what GitHub uses for READMEs, issues, and comments. A few extras to remember:

Strikethrough + task lists + tables#

You already saw examples above. The key: these are widely supported on GitHub and many markdown renderers.

Fenced code blocks with language labels#

```bash
npm install
```

Language labels improve readability and syntax highlighting.

Markdown Escaping & Special Characters#

If you want to display a symbol literally, escape it with a backslash:

\*not italic\*
\# not a heading
\- not a list item

Tip: in many renderers you can also use inline code to “protect” special characters.

Quick Reference Summary Table#

| Goal | Syntax | Example | |---|---|---| | Heading | ## | ## Section | | Bold | **text** | **important** | | Italic | *text* | *note* | | Link | [text](url) | [Docs](/docs) | | Image | ![alt](src) | ![Logo](/logo.png) | | Inline code | `code` | `npm run dev` | | Code block | fenced | js … | | Table | pipes | |a|b| | | Task list | - [ ] | - [x] done |

Where to Practice Markdown#

The fastest way to get good at Markdown is to write it daily: READMEs, issues, docs, and prompts.

• Practice right now: Open CreateMarkdown.xyz Editor
• Next read: How to Write a README File