Learn Markdown

What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that you can use to add formatting elements to plaintext text documents. The key benefits of using Markdown include:

• Simplicity: Easy to learn and use, with a straightforward syntax.
• Readability: Plain text files are easy to read and edit without specialized software.
• Versatility: Can be converted to HTML and other formats, making it ideal for web content.

You will quickly notice that this is like a light 🚨 version of HTML. The difference is that this cannot be rendered directly with a browser. Instead we need a markdown renderer. In addition, the styles 💄 are generally set by the aforementioned rendered. Summarily, this is a great tool for creating structured documents without the complexity of traditional word processors or HTML/CSS 💄.

Basic Syntax

Here are some common Markdown syntax elements:

Headers

Use # for headers. The number of # symbols indicates the header level.

# Header 1

## Header 2

### Header 3

Emphasis

• Italic: Use single asterisks or underscores.
• Bold: Use double asterisks or underscores.

_Italic_ or _Italic_
**Bold** or **Bold**

Lists

• Unordered lists: Use asterisks, plus signs, or hyphens.
• Ordered lists: Use numbers followed by periods.

- Item 1
- Item 2
  - Subitem 1
  - Subitem 2

1. First item
2. Second item

Links

Create links using the following syntax:

[Link text](URL)

Images

Images are similar to links but with an exclamation mark in front:

![Alt text](Image URL)

Common Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using Markdown:

1. Forgetting to close emphasis tags: Ensure you close your italic or bold tags correctly. For example, use _italic_ instead of _italic.
2. Incorrectly formatting lists: Be consistent with your list formatting. Mixing ordered and unordered lists can lead to confusion.
3. Not using the correct file extension: Always save your Markdown files with the .md extension to ensure proper rendering.
4. Using unsupported syntax: Some platforms may not support all Markdown features. Always check the platform's documentation for supported syntax.

Conclusion

Markdown is a powerful tool for creating formatted text using a plain-text editor. By mastering its syntax, you can create well-structured documents quickly and easily.

HW: Learn Markdown

Complete Markdown Tutorial. Note that this actually goes a bit more in depth than we do here, but it is a good resource to learn the basics.

Take a screenshot of your completion screen.

HW: Markdown Reflection

You will now demonstrate what you have learned by creating a GitHub Markdown Gist. It's easy to do. Start by heading over to GitHub Gist and creating a new Gist.

Note: If you didn't before, you now start to realize how important file extensions are. In the case of Markdown files, using the .md extension is crucial for proper rendering and recognition by various tools and platforms.

From here, go back to the TXT HW reflections that you wrote previously. Rewrite them as well-formatted markdown documents, using as many of the features you learned about as possible. You can also add images if you like.

When you are done, save the Gist as shown below:

Then, share the gist 🔗:

That 🔗 will be your HW submission.

Additional Resources

• Markdown Cheat Sheet
• Dillinger - Feel free to use this in addition to or as a replacement for GitHub Gist for creating and previewing your Markdown files