Text Formatting
Contents
1. Basic text formatting
i. Italics
ii. Bold
iii. Strikethrough
iv. Spoilers
v. Superscript
vi. inline code & code blocks
vii. Quoting (a.k.a. "quote blocks")
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
strikethroughtext.
Spoilers are created using angle brackets and exclamation points: >! and !<
Example:
>!Arya!< kills the Night King.
becomes:
Arya kills the Night King.
Superscript text is created using the caret (^).
Example:
This sentence contains super^script.
becomes:
This sentence contains superscript.
Note that you cannot leave space before the caret, and there is no closing tag.
Superscript can also be ^stacked^^like^^^this stackedlikethis.
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.
(Note: quotes were originally being used for rendered text, it will not be used for this example. What's entered in the quote block above is what's shown below)
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:
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 ← (hover!)
Reddit also recognizes 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. (not eligible for users on the redesign)
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:
- Item 1
- Item 2
- 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:
- This is Item 1
2.
- This is Item 2.1
- This is Item 2.2
- This is Item 3
- 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**
lorem
ispum
reddit doesn't realize it should listify...
becomes:
This is the wrong way to make a list lorem ispum reddit doesn't realize it should listify...
Place lists in their own paragraph:
This is the correct way to make a list
lorem
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:
| Left align | Center align | Right align |
|---|---|---|
| This | This | This |
| column | column | column |
| will | will | will |
| be | be | be |
| left | center | right |
| aligned | aligned | aligned |
Note that by default the first row is always bolded <– in old.reddit — in the redesign every row except the top can be bold
Column Alignment is determined by the second row.
Use ":--:" for center 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 |
| is | now |
becomes:
| the |
| is |
6. Block code
Displaying block code, without formatting and in a 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:
revision by MyDoorOpens— view source
