Markdown is a simple way to format text that looks great on any device. It doesn't do anything fancy like change the font size, color, or type — just the essentials, using keyboard symbols you already know. Since it is plain text, it is an easy way to author notes and documents and when needed it can be converted to a rich text HTML document.
| **Code block** | <pre>Here's some JavaScript code:<br><br>\`\`\`<br>function hello() {<br> alert('hello');<br>}<br>\`\`\`<br><br>Language is normally auto-detected,<br>but it can also be specified:<br><br>\`\`\`sql<br>SELECT * FROM users;<br>DELETE FROM sessions;<br>\`\`\`</pre> | Here's some JavaScript code:<br><br><pre>function hello() {<br> alert('hello');<br>}</pre><br>Language is normally auto-detected, but it can also be specified:<br><br><pre>SELECT * FROM users;<br>DELETE FROM sessions;</pre>
| **Unformatted text** | <pre>Indent with a tab or 4 spaces<br>for unformatted text.<br/><br/> This text will not be formatted:<br><br> Robert'); DROP TABLE students;--</pre> | Indent with a tab or 4 spaces for unformatted text.<br><br><pre>This text will not be formatted:<br><br>Robert'); DROP TABLE students;--</pre>
| **Link** | <pre>This is detected as a link:<br><br>`https://joplinapp.org`<br><br>And this is a link anchoring text content:<br><br>`[Joplin](https://joplinapp.org)`<br><br>And this is a link, with a title,<br>anchoring text content:<br><br>`[Joplin](https://joplinapp.org "Joplin project page")`</pre> | This is detected as a link:<br><br>https://joplinapp.org<br><br>And this is a link anchoring text content:<br><br>[Joplin](https://joplinapp.org)<br><br>And this is a link, with a title,<br>anchoring text content:<br><br>[Joplin](https://joplinapp.org "Joplin project page") (_hint: hover over the link_)
Since getting the ID of a note is not straightforward, each app provides a way to create such link. In the **desktop app**, drag and drop a note into another note to create a link. Or right click on a note and select "Copy Markdown link". In the **mobile app**, open a note and, in the top right menu, select "Copy Markdown link". You can then paste this link anywhere in another note.
Math expressions can be added using the [KaTeX notation](https://khan.github.io/KaTeX/). To add an inline equation, wrap the expression in `$EXPRESSION$`, eg. `$\sqrt{3x-1}+(1+x)^2$`. To create an expression block, wrap it as follow:
$$
EXPRESSION
$$
For example:
$$
f(x) = \int_{-\infty}^\infty
\hat f(\xi)\,e^{2 \pi i \xi x}
\,d\xi
$$
Here is an example with the Markdown and rendered result side by side:
Joplin supports chemical equations via the mhchem plugin for KaTeX. This plugin is automatically enabled if you enable math notation. See the [mhchem documentation](https://mhchem.github.io/MathJax-mhchem/) for the syntax.
You can create diagrams in Joplin using the [Mermaid syntax](https://mermaidjs.github.io/). To add such a graph, wrap the Mermaid script inside a "\`\`\`mermaid" code block like this:
Note that Mermaid graphs are always rendered on a white background regardless of the current theme. This is because they can contain various colours that may not be compatible with the current theme.
The checkboxes can then be ticked in the mobile and desktop applications.
### HTML support
It is generally recommended to enter the notes as Markdown as it makes the notes easier to edit. However for cases where certain features aren't supported (such as strikethrough or to highlight text), you can also use HTML code directly. For example this would be a valid note:
This is <s>strikethrough text</s> mixed with regular **Markdown**.
Joplin supports a number of plugins that can be toggled on/off to enable/disable markdown features on top of the standard Markdown features you would expect. These plugins are listed below. Unlike regular plugins, Markdown plugins must be enabled in the markdown section of the [Configuration screen](https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/blob/dev/readme/apps/config_screen.md). Not all of the plugins are enabled by default, if the "enabled" field is 'no' below, then open the option screen to enable the plugin. Plugins can be disabled in the same manner.
The functionality added by these plugins is not part of the CommonMark spec so, while they will all work within Joplin, it is not guaranteed that they will work in other Markdown readers. Often this is not an issue but keep it in mind if you require compatibility with other Markdown applications.
| Soft breaks | See [breaks](https://markdown-it.github.io/#md3=%7B%22source%22%3A%22This%20is%20line1%5CnThis%20is%20line2%5Cn%5CnThis%20is%20a%20line%20with%202%20trailing%20spaces%20%20%5CnNext%20line%5Cn%5CnClick%20the%20%60breaks%60%20checkbox%20above%20to%20see%20the%20difference.%5CnJoplin%27s%20default%20is%20hard%20breaks%20%28checked%20%60breaks%60%20checkbox%29.%22%2C%22defaults%22%3A%7B%22html%22%3Afalse%2C%22xhtmlOut%22%3Afalse%2C%22breaks%22%3Afalse%2C%22langPrefix%22%3A%22language-%22%2C%22linkify%22%3Afalse%2C%22typographer%22%3Afalse%2C%22_highlight%22%3Afalse%2C%22_strict%22%3Afalse%2C%22_view%22%3A%22html%22%7D%7D) markdown-it demo| Joplin uses hard breaks by default, which means that a line break is rendered as `<br>`. Enable soft breaks for traditional markdown line-break behaviour. | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/softbreaks_plugin.jpg)
| Linkify | See [linkify](https://markdown-it.github.io/#md3=%7B%22source%22%3A%22Use%20the%20Linkify%20checkbox%20to%20switch%20link-detection%20on%20and%20off.%5Cn%5Cn%2A%2AThese%20links%20are%20auto-detected%3A%2A%2A%5Cn%5Cnhttps%3A%2F%2Fexample.com%5Cn%5Cnexample.com%5Cn%5Cntest%40example.com%5Cn%5Cn%2A%2AThese%20are%20always%20links%3A%2A%2A%5Cn%5Cn%5Blink%5D%28https%3A%2F%2Fjoplinapp.org%29%5Cn%5Cn%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fexample.com%3E%22%2C%22defaults%22%3A%7B%22html%22%3Afalse%2C%22xhtmlOut%22%3Afalse%2C%22breaks%22%3Afalse%2C%22langPrefix%22%3A%22language-%22%2C%22linkify%22%3Atrue%2C%22typographer%22%3Atrue%2C%22_highlight%22%3Atrue%2C%22_strict%22%3Afalse%2C%22_view%22%3A%22html%22%7D%7D) markdown-it demo | Auto-detects URLs and convert them to clickable links | yes | |
| [Fountain](https://fountain.io) | <code>\`\`\`fountain</code><br/>Your screenplay...<br/><code>\`\`\`</code> | Adds support for the Fountain markup language, a plain text markup language for screenwriting | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/fountain_plugin.jpg) |
| [Mermaid](https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid/) | <code>\`\`\`mermaid</code><br/>mermaid syntax...<br/><code>\`\`\`</code> | See [plugin page](https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid/#/examples) for full description | yes | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/mermaid.jpg) |
| [TOC](https://github.com/nagaozen/markdown-it-toc-done-right) | Any of `${toc}, [[toc]], [toc], [[_toc_]]` | Adds a table of contents to the location of the toc page. Based on headings and sub-headings | yes | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/toc_plugin.jpg) |
| [Sub](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-sub) | `X~1~` | Transforms into X<sub>1</sub> | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/sub_plugin.jpg) |
| [Sup](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-sup) | `X^2^` | Transforms into X<sup>2</sup> | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/sup_plugin.jpg) |
| [Deflist](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-deflist) | See [pandoc](http://johnmacfarlane.net/pandoc/README.html#definition-lists) page for syntax | Adds the html `<dl>` tag accessible through markdown | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/deflist_plugin.jpg) |
| [Abbr](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-abbr) | *[HTML]: Hyper Text Markup Language<br/>The HTML specification | Allows definition of abbreviations that can be hovered over later for a full expansion | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/abbr_plugin.jpg) |
| [Emoji](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-emoji) | `:smile:` | Transforms into 😄. See [this list](https://gist.github.com/rxaviers/7360908) for more emojis | no |[View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/emoji_plugin.jpg) |
| [Insert](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-ins) | `++inserted++` | Transforms into `<ins>inserted</ins>` (<ins>inserted</ins>) | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/insert_plugin.jpg) |
| [Multitable](https://github.com/RedBug312/markdown-it-multimd-table) | See [MultiMarkdown](https://fletcher.github.io/MultiMarkdown-6/syntax/tables.html) page | Adds more power and customization to markdown tables | no | [View](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Assets/WebsiteAssets/images/md_plugins/multitable_plugin.jpg) |
