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_)
You can create a link to a note by specifying its ID in the URL. For example:
[Link to my note](:/0b0d62d15e60409dac34f354b6e9e839)
Since getting the ID of a note is not straightforward, each app provides a way to create such link. In the **desktop app**, right click on a note an 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 notation
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.
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**.
### Plugins
Joplin supports a number of plugins that can be toggled on top the standard Markdown features you would expect. These toggle-able plugins are listed below. Note: not all of the plugins are enabled by default, if the enable field is 'no' below, then open the option screen to enable the plugin. Plugins can be disabled in the same manner.
| 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 |
| [Footnote](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-footnote) | `Simples inline footnote ^[I'm inline!]` | See [plugin page](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-footnote) for full description | yes |
| [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 | no |
| [Sub](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-sub) | `X~1~` | Transforms into X<sub>1</sub> | no |
| [Sup](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-sup) | `X^2^` | Transforms into X<sup>2</sup> | no |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [Insert](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-ins) | `++inserted++` | Transforms into `<ins>inserted</ins>` (<ins>inserted</ins>) | no |
| [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 |
| [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 |