18-Nov-2011: Updated to include the latest markdown changes.

####Contents

1. Basic text formatting (Italics, Bold, Strikethrough, Super^script, inline code, Quoting)

2. Linking
3. Line Breaks & Paragraphs
4. Lists
5. Tables
6. Block Code
7. Headlines and Horizontals

####1. Basic Text Formatting

Italics are created using either a single asterisk (*) or single underscore (_).

Example:

This is *italic text*, this is also _italic text_.

becomes:

This is italic text, this is also italic text.

Bold text is created with double asterisks (**) or double underscores (__).

Example:

This is **bold text**, this is also __bold text__.

becomes:

This is bold text, this is also bold text.

Strikethrough text is created using a double tilde (~~).

Example:

This is ~~strikethrough text~~.

becomes:

This is strikethrough text.

Superscript text is created using the carot (^).

Example:

This sentence contains super^script.

becomes:

This sentence contains super^script.

Note that you cannot leave space before the carot, and there is no closing tag.

Superscript can also be stacked^like^this.

inline code (monospaced text) is created using the backtick (grave accents) (`).

Example:

This sentence contains inline code: `javascript:alert("hello world");`

becomes:

This sentence contains inline code: javascript:alert("hello world");

Quoting is achieved by starting a line with an Angle Bracket (>)

Example:

>Here's a quote.

>Another paragraph in the same quote.
>>A nested quote.

>Back to a single quote.

And finally some unquoted text.

becomes:

Here's a quote.

Another paragraph in the same quote.

A nested quote.

Back to a single quote.

And finally some unquoted text.

To remove formatting you will need to use a Backslash (\)

Example:

This sentence escapes \*italic text\* and \*\*bold text\*\*.

becomes:

This sentence escapes *italic text* and **bold text**.

####2. Linking

Creating a link

Example:

[Reddit](http://reddit.com)

becomes:

Reddit

You cannot begin a link with "www", it must begin with one of the following URL schemes:

• http://

• https://
• ftp://
• mailto:
• steam://
• irc://
• news://
• mumble://
• ssh://

You can also provide title text for links:

[Reddit](http://reddit.com "what's new online!").

becomes:

Reddit ← (hover!)

Title text can be used to hide spoilers:

[spoiler](/s"The spoiler text goes here")

becomes:

[spoiler](/s"The spoiler text goes here") ← (hover!)

Reddit now recognises when you want to link to a subreddit.

Example:

This is a shameless plug for /r/BritishTV!

becomes:

This is a shameless plug for /r/BritishTV!

If a URL contains brackets you will need to escape these.

Example without escaping:

[Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film))

becomes:

Cube ← (note the surplus bracket!)

Example with escaping:

[Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film\))

becomes:

[Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film\)) ← (no surplus bracket!)

####3. Line Breaks & Paragraphs

Line breaks in comments are achieved by adding four spaces (shown using ░) to the end of the line. Simply hitting return (shown using ↵) will not work.

Example:

First line↵
Second line

becomes:

First line Second line

but:

First line░░░░↵
Second line

becomes:

First line
Second line

Paragraphs are formed when you hit return (shown using ↵) twice.

First Paragraph↵
↵
Second Paragraph

becomes:

First Paragraph

Second Paragraph

####4. Lists

To create Unordered Lists each item should begin with either an asterisk (*), plus sign (+) or minus sign (-).

Example:

* Item 1
+ Item 2
- Item 3

becomes:

• Item 1

• Item 2

• Item 3

Ordered Lists are created with a number and period. It doesn't matter which number you start with, as markdown will always start with 1.

Example:

3. Item 1
2. Item 2
1. Item 3

becomes:

3. Item 1
4. Item 2
5. Item 3

The markup for Nested Lists has changed slightly:

Example:

1. This is Item 1
2.
░░░░1. This is Item 2.1
░░░░2. This is Item 2.2
3. This is Item 3
4. This is Item 4

becomes:

1. This is Item 1
2. 1. This is Item 2.1
   2. This is Item 2.2
3. This is Item 3
4. This is Item 4

Lists should be clear of any text in the line immediately above and below, the same as making a new paragraph:

This is the wrong way to make a list

1. lorem
2. ispum
   reddit doesn't realize it should listify...

becomes:

This is the wrong way to make a list

1. lorem
2. ispum
   reddit doesn't realize it should listify...

Place lists in their own paragraph:

This is the correct way to make a list

1. lorem
2. ispum

reddit realizes it should listify!

Paragraphs in Lists and Nested lists using a combination of ordered and unordered lists, are no longer supported.

####5. Tables

Tables are created using pipes (|):

Example

Left align | Center align | Right align
:--|:--:|--:
This | This | This
column | column | column
will | will | will
be | be | be
left | center | right
aligned | aligned | aligned

becomes:

Note that by default the first row is always bolded.

Column Alignment is determined by the second row.

Use ":--:" for centre aligned text, "--:" for right, and ":--" for left.

You can also leave the top row empty, as long as you have the correct amount of pipes:

||
:--|:--:|--:
the|top|row
is|now|empty

becomes

| |
:--|:--:|--:
the|top|row
is|now|empty

####6. Block code

Displaying block code, without formatting and in monospaced font, is as simple as starting the line with four spaces (shown using ░).

Example:

░░░░line of code
░░░░░░░░line of code
░░░░░░░░░░░░line of code
░░░░░░░░line of code
░░░░line of code

becomes:

    line of code
        line of code
            line of code
        line of code
    line of code

####7. Headlines & Horizonal Rules

Headline text can be created by using a number of hashes (#) corresponding to the tag you want. Headline tags will format all text until it encounters a Line Break or new Paragraph.

# Headline 1
## Headline 2
### Headline 3

becomes:

#Headline 1
##Headline 2
###Headline 3

NOTE: Markdown supports up to six headline tags, but only the first three have default formatting.

To create a Horizontal Rule, simply add three asterisks (*) to an empty line.

***

becomes:

---