How Do You Write Markdown? 10 High-Frequency Patterns to Learn by Doing

Beginners often bounce off #, *, and backticks—but everyday Markdown is only about ten high-frequency patterns. Learn those and you can write blogs, READMEs, notes, and weekly updates. Each section below pairs source with a rendered result, plus examples you can copy into an editor and tweak.

Markdown is a lightweight way to mark up plain text with ordinary symbols: # for headings, * for emphasis, - for lists. A renderer turns those marks into real layout. The payoff is content separated from presentation—the source stays readable, and the same .md file can become HTML, Word, PDF, or platform-specific rich text.

That is why GitHub, note apps, static blogs, and many AI chat UIs treat Markdown as the default writing format. The learning curve is low: you format from the keyboard instead of hunting through toolbars. Below are the ten patterns you will use most.

Headings start a line with #. The number of hashes is the level, and there must be a space between # and the title text. Use # for the document title; use ## / ### for sections inside the body.

Learn by doing: open the Markdown online editor, paste the sample on the left, then change how many # you use while watching the live preview. Use the same habit for every section below.

markdown# Heading 1 (document title)
## Heading 2 (section)
### Heading 3 (subsection)
#### Heading 4

Rendered preview (from the online editor):

The classic beginner mistake is writing #Heading with no space—most renderers then show the raw text. Also avoid skipping levels (jumping from # to ###); clean hierarchy helps when you export Word/PDF and generate a table of contents.

Wrap text in matching markers: bold with **text**, italic with *text*, strikethrough with ~~text~~. You can combine them.

markdownThis sentence has **bold**, *italic*, ***bold italic***, and ~~an old price~~.

If emphasis fails next to punctuation or CJK characters, add a space outside the ** markers. Strikethrough is handy for contrasts like “was 99 now 39”.

Three list types: unordered with - (or * ), ordered with 1. , and task lists with - [ ] (open) or - [x] (done). Always put a space after the marker. Indent by two or four spaces for nested items.

markdownUnordered:
- Apple
- Banana
  - Nested item

Ordered:
1. Open the editor
2. Paste content
3. Export the file

Tasks:
- [x] Done
- [ ] Still to do

You can write every ordered item as 1.—many renderers renumber automatically, which makes inserting rows easier. Task lists are a GFM (GitHub Flavored Markdown) extension and work well for TODOs and checklists.

Links use [label](url). Images are the same with a leading bang: ![alt text](image-url). Structure is almost identical; images render inline, links stay clickable text.

markdownHere is a [link to MeTool](https://metool.online/).

Here is an image:
![MeTool logo](https://metool.online/images/logo-removebg.png)

Write meaningful alt text for accessibility and failed loads. The URL can be remote or local; many online editors also accept drag-and-drop or paste and insert the image syntax for you.

Wrap short commands in single backticks for inline code. For multi-line blocks, use three backticks and put a language id after the opening fence (js, python, …) so the renderer can highlight.

markdownTo install dependencies, run `npm install`.

```js
function hello() {
  console.log('Hello Markdown')
}
```

The backtick key is usually left of 1—do not confuse it with a single quote. Language tags matter: without them you often get a plain block with no highlighting.

Start a line with > for a quote—great for key takeaways, citations, or callouts. Repeat > on each line of a multi-paragraph quote; nest with >> if needed.

markdown> This is a quote—good for a key conclusion.
>
> Quotes can include **bold** and `code`.

Styles vary by platform, but the meaning is the same: demote the text as a side note or excerpt. Opening an article with a one-line quote is a common pattern.

Separate cells with |. The second row is a header separator of ---. Colons set alignment: :--- left, :---: center, ---: right.

markdown| Feature | Common? | Note |
| :--- | :---: | ---: |
| Heading | Yes | Use # |
| Table | Yes | Use pipes |

Hand-aligning pipes is tedious. Practical tip: insert a table skeleton from the editor toolbar, then fill cells—or paste from a spreadsheet into an editor that converts tables.

A horizontal rule is a line with three or more hyphens --- (or ***). For line breaks, a single Enter often does not start a new line—use two trailing spaces, or leave a blank line for a new paragraph.

markdownFirst paragraph.

Second paragraph (blank line between).

---

Content below the rule.

Keep a blank line above ---, or it may be parsed as a setext heading underline. Blank lines between paragraphs are the safest habit.

Reading is not enough—edit. Copy any sample into a left-source / right-preview editor, change one character, and watch the preview. That beats memorizing a reference page.

Use the Markdown online editor: live preview, drafts in local browser storage, no upload, plus import .md and paste images. When you are ready to ship, convert with Markdown convert to Word/PDF, or share a preview link with Markdown share. More tools live in the Markdown toolbox.

The everyday set is small: # headings, ** bold, * italic, - / 1. lists, - [ ] tasks, []() links, ![]() images, backticks for code, > quotes, | tables, --- rules. Two iron rules—space after markers, blank line between paragraphs—avoid most beginner bugs. Open the online editor and practice for an afternoon.

For math, diagrams, collapsible sections, and superscripts/subscripts, continue with the advanced Markdown syntax guide.