Getting started with Markdown on GitHub

By GitHub

Categories: Product, Tools

Summary

Markdown is a lightweight formatting language used across GitHub and modern platforms that every developer should master—it's not just for READMEs but for issues, pull requests, discussions, and wikis. Learning 6 core syntax rules (headers, text emphasis, lists, code blocks, links, and images) enables you to create clean, professional documentation that significantly improves project discoverability.

Key Takeaways

  1. Use hash symbols (#) for headers (1 for main, 2+ for sub-headers) and asterisks (*) for emphasis—single asterisk for italics, double for bold, triple for both bold and italics combined.
  2. Create ordered lists with any numbering sequence; Markdown automatically interprets them correctly. For unordered lists, use hyphens (-), asterisks (*), or plus signs (+) interchangeably.
  3. Format code snippets with single backticks (`) for inline code and triple backticks (```) for multi-line code blocks. GitHub's syntax highlighting renders code automatically for readability.
  4. Use bracket-parenthesis syntax [text](URL) for links and ![alt](URL) for images. GitHub supports drag-and-drop image insertion that auto-generates correct Markdown.
  5. Markdown extends beyond GitHub to note-taking apps, blog platforms, and documentation tools—mastering it creates transferable skills across the entire modern tech stack.

Topics

Transcript Excerpt

Kedasha: Today, I’m going to teach you everything you need to know to get started with Markdown. Markdown is an essential skill that will transform how you write. By the end of this video, you’ll understand all the essential Markdown concepts you need to write a great README, format issues and pull requests, and make your project easier for others to explore. Hey, I’m Kedasha and I’m so excited that you’re here with me today. I have my friend, Emily, here with me to tell us about why Markdown is...