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Markdown Editor

Write Markdown with a live split preview.

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MarkdownType Markdown to begin
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Rendered Markdown appears here — tables, task lists, code, and more.

What is a Markdown editor?

A Markdown editor is a side-by-side writing environment: you type plain-text Markdown on one side, and the rendered preview updates live on the other. It's the format powering README files on GitHub, documentation portals, static-site generators, blog platforms, note apps like Obsidian, and chat tools like Discord and Slack.

The whole point of Markdown is to look readable in plain text and become structured HTML when rendered. You spend less time fiddling with formatting toolbars and more time writing — which is exactly why technical writers and developers prefer it.

Most modern Markdown editors support *GitHub-Flavored Markdown* (GFM), which adds tables, task lists, code fences with language hints, autolinks, and strikethrough on top of the original CommonMark spec.

What you'll learn while using a Markdown editor

  • Markdown is plain text — readable in your editor *and* renderable as HTML, with no toolbar or hidden formatting.
  • Headings, lists, links, and emphasis cover 90% of typical writing. Tables and code fences cover most of the remaining 10%.
  • Code fences with a language hint ( js , python ) trigger syntax highlighting in many renderers.

How to use a Markdown editor step by step

  1. Start typing in the left pane

    Use # for headings, * or _ for emphasis, - for lists. The right pane updates as you type.

  2. Add structure

    Insert headings, code fences, and tables to organize the document. Most editors have keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I) for the common formatting.

  3. Preview the rendered HTML

    Compare the live preview with the source. If something doesn't render the way you expect, the source usually has a missing blank line or a mismatched fence.

  4. Copy or download

    Copy the Markdown source into your README, or copy the HTML into an email, CMS, or anywhere that doesn't speak Markdown.

Markdown syntax cheat sheet

The 80% of Markdown you'll use every day. Anything else is a Google away. Specs: CommonMark and GitHub-Flavored Markdown.

ElementMarkdownRenders as
Heading 1# TitleTop-level heading
Heading 2## SectionSection heading
Bold**strong****strong**
Italic*emphasis* or _emphasis_*emphasis*
Inline code code code
Code blockWrap code in a triple-backtick fence with an optional language hintSyntax-highlighted block
Link`label`Clickable link
Image`!alt`Embedded image
List- itemBulleted list
Numbered list1. itemOrdered list
Task list (GFM)- [x] doneChecked checkbox
Table (GFM)| a | b |\n|---|---|\n| 1 | 2 |Two-column table
Blockquote> quoteIndented quote

Markdown examples to try

A typical README opening

Source
# Project Name
A short description in one or two sentences.
## Install
```bashnpm install project-name```
## Quick start
- Step 1- Step 2- Step 3

Heading, paragraph, install command in a fenced code block, and a bullet list — that's the spine of every good README.

Tables (GitHub-flavored)

Source
| Feature | Free | Pro ||---------|:----:|:---:|| Editor  |  ✓   |  ✓  || Export  |      |  ✓  |

Pipes (|) separate columns. The dashes line aligns columns and : characters set alignment (left, center, right). GFM tables don't need precise column widths — only the structure matters.

Task list

Source
- [x] Draft the post- [x] Add screenshots- [ ] Publish

GitHub renders these as interactive checkboxes inside issues and PRs. Useful for in-document checklists and lightweight project tracking.

Common Markdown mistakes

  • Forgetting blank lines around lists, tables, and code fences. Most renderers need a blank line to start a new block.
  • Mixing tabs and spaces inside a list — some renderers will quietly break the indentation.
  • Putting raw HTML inside a code fence and expecting it to render. Code fences are *literal* — that's the point.

Markdown Editor FAQ

What is Markdown?
Markdown is a lightweight markup language that converts simple plain-text syntax (# heading, **bold**, `link`) into formatted HTML. It is designed to look readable in source form.
How do I convert Markdown to HTML?
Paste your Markdown into a Markdown editor and copy the rendered HTML, or run a converter like marked, markdown-it, or pandoc. Most static-site generators do this automatically at build time.
What is the difference between Markdown and GitHub-Flavored Markdown?
GitHub-Flavored Markdown (GFM) adds tables, fenced code blocks with language hints, task lists, autolinks, and strikethrough on top of standard Markdown. It's the dialect used by GitHub, GitLab, and many docs platforms.
Can I use HTML inside Markdown?
Yes — most renderers pass raw HTML through. It's useful for embedding things Markdown doesn't natively support (custom layouts, video tags), but it ties your document to HTML output.
Is the Markdown editor private?
Yes. Coddy's editor renders Markdown entirely in your browser — your text isn't uploaded anywhere.

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