Have you ever wondered if there's a way to write that's both simple and beautiful, and can be easily shared online? The answer is Markdown! It was created in 2004 by two tech gurus – John Gruber and Aaron Swartz.
John Gruber is a super famous tech blogger and programmer, and his blog Daring Fireball is well-known in the industry. His original intention in creating Markdown was very simple: he wanted a format that was easy to read, easy to write, and could be easily converted into a webpage (HTML). As a result, Markdown was born!
What Can Markdown Do? What Problems Does It Solve?
When writing in daily life, you often encounter some headaches, such as:
- Word is too troublesome: To write a short article, you have to search through a bunch of buttons to find formatting tools.
- Messy formatting: When you exchange a document with a friend, the font size is all messed up when you open it.
- Huge files: It's just a few paragraphs, but the saved file is tens of MB.
- Device incompatibility: A file written in Word cannot be opened on another device.
- Chaotic revisions: When multiple people write together, it is impossible to know who changed what.
- Distraction from formatting: Spending a lot of time adjusting styles, and the writing inspiration is long gone.
Markdown is like a magic wand, solving all problems in one fell swoop!
- Super simple: A few symbols can handle headings, lists, and bold text. You can learn it in five minutes.
- Plain text is super convenient: The file is as small as a feather and can be opened anywhere.
- Focus on content: No need to worry about formatting, writing is very smooth.
- Use any device: Mobile phones, computers, tablets, can be modified anywhere.
- Version control is super friendly: With tools like Git, every change is clear.
- Formatting is always consistent: It looks the same no matter where you open it.
Why is Markdown So Popular Now?
In the age of AI, Markdown is simply an "amazing" existence. Why?
- AI loves it: Tools like ChatGPT are very handy for inputting and outputting Markdown.
- Standard configuration for note-taking software: Obsidian, Notion, Logseq, these popular software all use Markdown.
- Programmers take the lead: GitHub, Stack Overflow are all dominated by Markdown.
- Efficiency is exploding: There is too much information, Markdown can quickly record and organize it.
- Learn once and use everywhere: Blogs, notes, documents, chats, anywhere!
- Connect knowledge: Modern note-taking tools can also use Markdown to create links and weave a knowledge network.
- Don't be kidnapped: Your files will not be locked by a certain software, you can move them away at any time.
How to Write Markdown? Super Easy Introduction!
Don't be afraid, writing Markdown is as simple as sending a WeChat message. Take a look at these basic moves:
Headings (as eye-catching as newspaper headlines)
# Heading 1 (largest)
## Heading 2 (large)
### Heading 3 (medium)
#### Heading 4 (small)Tips: Remember to add a space after #, otherwise it won't work!
Emphasis (make the text more eye-catching)
*Italic* → Write in italics
**Bold** → Bold
***Bold Italic*** → Bold and italic
~~Strikethrough~~ → Strike outLists (similar to shopping lists)
- Unordered List (with bullets):
- Milk
- Bread
- Whole wheat bread
- White bread
- Eggs- Ordered List (with numbers):
1. Get up
2. Brush your teeth
3. Eat breakfastLinks and Images (jump and illustrations)
[Click to go to Bilibili](https://bilibili.com/) → Click to jump
 → Insert pictureQuotes (copy famous quotes)
> Life is like Wi-Fi, don't be proud when the signal is full, it may be gone in a blink of an eye.Code (for programmers)
- Short code:
Use `print("Hello")` to print a greeting Hello!- Long code:
```python
def say_hi():
print("Hi, friend!")
say_hi()
### Horizontal Rule (separate different content)
### Tables (neatly list data)| Name | Age | Hobby |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaoming | 20 | Playing ball |
| Xiaohong | 19 | Dancing |
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## How to Learn from Scratch? Get Started in Five Minutes!
1. **Find a tool to try**: Download software that supports Markdown, such as `VS Code`.
2. **Start with the simple ones**: It is enough to get the headings and lists done first.
3. **Write and watch**: Most editors have a preview, and the effect can be seen immediately.
4. **Use it**: Try using Markdown to write diaries and take notes.
5. **Use what you need**: Learn 20% of the moves, and you can do 80% of the work.
**Small suggestion**: If you can only remember one, then remember the heading (# plus space), and the document will immediately become clear!
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## Markdown Advanced Gameplay
After learning the basics, these "high moves" will make you even better:
1. **Insert some HTML**: Want to be cool? Use HTML directly:Blue text!
Click to expand
Hidden little secret...- Add footnotes: Add a marker in the text[^1].
[^1]: This is the footnote!- Automatic Table of Contents: Some tools support one-click generation of the table of contents:
[TOC]Markdown is such a simple and fun thing, try it!
Reference @向阳乔木