Have you ever wondered if there's a way to write that's both simple and good-looking, and can be easily shared online? The answer is Markdown! It was created in 2004 by two tech giants—John Gruber and Aaron Swartz.

John Gruber is a highly renowned tech blogger and programmer, famous for his blog Daring Fireball in the tech community. His motivation for creating Markdown was straightforward: he wanted a format that's easy to read, easy to write, and easily convertible to web pages (HTML). And so, Markdown was born!

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What Can Markdown Do? What Problems Does It Solve?

When writing, we often run into frustrating issues, such as:

• Word is too cumbersome: Trying to write a short article means hunting through countless buttons for formatting tools.
• Messy formatting: Sharing a document with a friend only to find fonts and sizes all messed up.
• Huge file sizes: A few paragraphs of text end up taking dozens of MB.
• Device incompatibility: A Word file created on one device won't open on another.
• Chaotic revisions: Collaborating with others, it's hard to track who changed what.
• Distracted by formatting: Spending time adjusting styles, only to lose writing inspiration.

Markdown is like a magic wand that solves it all!

• Super simple: A few symbols handle headings, lists, bold text—learn it in five minutes.
• Lightweight plain text: Files are tiny and can be opened anywhere.
• Focus on content: Forget about formatting; write smoothly.
• Works on any device: Edit on phones, computers, tablets—anywhere.
• Version control friendly: Tools like Git make every change clear.
• Consistent formatting: Looks the same no matter where you open it.

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Why Is Markdown So Popular Now?

In the AI era, Markdown is like a "game-changer." Why?

1. AI loves it: Tools like ChatGPT handle Markdown input and output seamlessly.
2. Standard in note apps: Popular apps like Obsidian, Notion, and Logseq use Markdown.
3. Programmers lead the way: GitHub and Stack Overflow are filled with Markdown.
4. Boosts efficiency: Quickly jot down and organize information in an information-heavy world.
5. Learn once, use everywhere: Blogs, notes, docs, chats—it works everywhere!
6. Connect knowledge: Modern note tools use Markdown for linking, creating knowledge networks.
7. No vendor lock-in: Your files aren't tied to any specific software; move them anytime.

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How to Write Markdown? Super Simple Getting Started!

Don't worry, writing Markdown is as easy as sending a WeChat message. Check out these basic moves:

Headings (Like Eye-Catching Newspaper Headlines)

# Heading 1 (Largest)
## Heading 2 (Large)
### Heading 3 (Medium)
#### Heading 4 (Small)

Tip: Remember to add a space after #, or it won't work!

Emphasis (Make Text Stand Out)

*Italic*  → Slanted text
**Bold** → Bold text
***Bold Italic*** → Bold and slanted
~~Strikethrough~~ → Crossed out

Lists (Similar to Shopping Lists)

• Unordered list (with dots):

- Milk
- Bread
  - Whole wheat bread
  - White bread
- Eggs

• Ordered list (with numbers):

1. Wake up
2. Brush teeth
3. Eat breakfast

Links and Images (Jump and Insert)

[Take me to Bilibili](https://bilibili.com/) → Click to jump
![Cute cat](https://example.com/cat.jpg) → Insert image

Quotes (For Famous Sayings)

> Life is like Wi-Fi; don't get too cocky when the signal's full, it might disappear in a blink.

Code (For Programmers)

• Inline code:

Use `print("Hello")` to print a greeting!

• Code blocks:

```python
def say_hi():
    print("Hi, friend!")
say_hi()

### Horizontal Rule (Separate Sections)

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### Tables (Organize Data Neatly)

Name	Age	Hobby
Xiao Ming	20	Playing ball
Xiao Hong	19	Dancing

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## How to Learn from Scratch? Get Started in Five Minutes!

1. **Try a tool**: Download software that supports Markdown, like `VS Code`.
2. **Start simple**: Mastering headings and lists is enough to get going.
3. **Write and preview**: Most editors have a preview feature to see results instantly.
4. **Use it**: Try writing a diary or taking notes in Markdown.
5. **Practice regularly**: Learn 20% of the tricks to handle 80% of the work.

**Tip**: If you only remember one thing, make it headings (# plus space), and your document will instantly look organized!

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## Advanced Markdown Tricks

Once you've got the basics, these "pro moves" will make you even better:

1. **Embed HTML**: For fancier styling, use HTML directly:

Blue text!

Click to expand

Hidden secrets...

```

2. Add footnotes: Mark in the text[^1].

[^1]: This is the footnote!

3. Auto table of contents: Some tools support one-click TOC generation:

[TOC]

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Markdown is just that simple and fun—give it a try!

Reference @向阳乔木