Markdown Basics

Markdown is the foundation of content on the web. It lets you write formatted text using plain characters, making it easy to read even in its raw form.

Text Formatting

The basics of text formatting are simple. You can make text bold by wrapping it in double asterisks, or italic with single asterisks. For bold and italic, use three.

Sometimes you need to strike through text that's no longer relevant. And for inline code or technical terms, backticks work well.

Headings

Headings help organize your content into logical sections. This post uses several heading levels to demonstrate the hierarchy:

Third Level Heading

Third-level headings are useful for subsections. They're smaller but still prominent.

Fourth Level Heading

Fourth-level headings work for minor points within subsections.

Links and References

Links are essential for connecting ideas. Here's a link to the Zola documentation for more information about the static site generator powering this blog.

You can also use reference-style links for cleaner text. For example, check out Markdown Guide for comprehensive documentation.

Blockquotes

Blockquotes are perfect for citations or emphasizing important passages:

The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.

— Gustave Flaubert

Nested blockquotes work too:

Someone once said:

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

And I think they were right.

Images

Images can be included with alt text for accessibility:

Horizontal Rules

Use horizontal rules to create visual separation between sections:

---

This text appears after the rule, in a new logical section.

Paragraphs and Line Breaks

Regular paragraphs are separated by blank lines. This is the first paragraph with some text that wraps naturally.

This is a second paragraph. Notice the spacing between them.

For a hard line break within a paragraph, end a line with two spaces before pressing enter.

Conclusion

Markdown's simplicity is its strength. With just a few characters, you can create well-structured, readable documents that work anywhere.