https://www.reddit.com/r/raerth/comments/cw70q/reddit_comment_formatting/
created by Raerth on 01/08/2010 at 22:35 UTC*
3479 upvotes, 237 top-level comments (showing 25)
`18-Nov-2011`: Updated to include the latest markdown changes.
1. Basic text formatting (*Italics*, **Bold**, ~~Strikethrough~~, Super^script, `inline code`, Quoting)
2. Linking
3. Line Breaks & Paragraphs
4. Lists
5. Tables
6. Block Code
7. Headlines and Horizontals
**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 ~~strikethrough~~ text.
**Superscript text** is created using the carot (`^`).
Example:
> This sentence contains super`^`script.
becomes:
> This sentence contains super^script.
Note that you cannot leave space before the carot, and there is no *closing tag*.
> Superscript can also be stacked^like^this.
**inline code** (monospaced text) is created using the backtick (grave accents[1]) (`).
1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_accent
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.
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**.
**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://
You can also provide **title text** for links:
> [Reddit](`http://reddit.com` "what's new online!").
becomes:
> Reddit[2] ← (*hover*!)
>
>
Title text can be used to hide **spoilers**:
> `[spoiler](/s"The spoiler text goes here")`
becomes:
> [spoiler](/s"The spoiler text goes here") ← (*hover*!)
Reddit now recognises 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.
Example without escaping:
> `[Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film))`
becomes:
> Cube[3] ← (*note the surplus bracket*!)
>
>
3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film)
Example with escaping:
> `[Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film\))`
becomes:
> [Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film%5C[4])) ← (*no surplus bracket*!)
>
>
4: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_(film%5C
**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
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:
> 3. Item 1
> 4. Item 2
> 5. 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:
> 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
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**
> 1. lorem
> 2. ispum
>
>
> reddit doesn't realize it should listify...
becomes:
> This is the **wrong way to make a list**
> 1. lorem
> 2. ispum
>
>
> reddit doesn't realize it should listify...
Place lists in their own paragraph:
> This is the **correct way to make a list**
> 1. lorem
> 2. ispum
> reddit realizes it should listify!
**Paragraphs in Lists** and **Nested lists using a combination of ordered and unordered lists**, are no longer supported.
**Tables** are created using pipes (|):
Example
ftp://grrr.net[5]Left align | Center align | Right align
ftp://grrr.net[6]:--|:--:|--:
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**.
**Column Alignment** is determined by the second row.
> Use "**:--:**" for centre 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:
ftp://grr.net[7]||
ftp://grrr.net[8]:--|:--:|--:
the|top|row
is|now|empty
becomes
┌─────┬─────┬───────┐ │ │ │ │ ╞═════╪═════╪═══════╡ │ the │ top │ row │ ├─────┼─────┼───────┤ │ is │ now │ empty │ └─────┴─────┴───────┘
Displaying **block code**, without formatting and in 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`
**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
becomes:
> #Headline 1
`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:
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you find this useful. If you want to say thanks, you can always buy me a coffee[9] and I'll love you longtime.
9: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/raerth
Comment by Jameshfisher at 01/09/2010 at 07:15 UTC
13 upvotes, 2 direct replies
What you call a forward slash is actually a backslash[1].
1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backslash
Comment by [deleted] at 22/10/2021 at 15:41 UTC*
19 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[removed]
Comment by Yggdrazzil at 03/08/2010 at 12:19 UTC
5 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Thanks a lot! Can you show how you format colors, hide your text etc?
For example if you want to talk about the ending of a movie but don't want to spoil it for people who haven't seen the ending yet?
Comment by jumbledash at 17/11/2021 at 17:21 UTC*
6 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Don’t mind me.
Just practicing.
┌───────────┬────────────┬───────────┐ │ Dogs │ Cats │ Birds │ ╞═══════════╪════════════╪═══════════╡ │ Labrador │ Maine Coon │ Pigeon │ ├───────────┼────────────┼───────────┤ │ Dalmatian │ Persian │ Cockatiel │ └───────────┴────────────┴───────────┘
I wonder if any newspaper sellers ever said that^probably^^not
Adding instructions for comment spoilers: > ! Text you want to hide goes here ! <
!It’s a trap!<
Comment by klaengur at 16/01/2011 at 01:38 UTC
4 upvotes, 2 direct replies
must save
Comment by Alyna143 at 11/12/2021 at 11:48 UTC*
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I love how everyone is still commenting but **hey**
Comment by Meme_KingalsoTech at 14/12/2022 at 05:51 UTC*
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<>!POP!<
Comment by SgtSausage at 02/08/2010 at 02:27 UTC
3 upvotes, 2 direct replies
==> To create a Horizontal Rule, simply add four minus signs (-) to an empty line.
Or three asterisks:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by [deleted] at 27/04/2022 at 05:17 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
~~poop~~
poop
omg it works
Comment by EnJay64 at 25/10/2021 at 11:14 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Comment by octopussking at 15/11/2021 at 20:11 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Comment by Jessie_Jay117 at 18/11/2021 at 20:39 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Comment by CryptoFurball75 at 03/12/2021 at 18:48 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Comment by Rhetorical_Save at 08/12/2021 at 23:52 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
ro·bot
> /ˈrōˌbät,ˈrōbət/
noun
1.
(especially in science fiction) ***a machine*** resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically.
Comment by chonk_fox89 at 09/04/2022 at 12:06 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
An awesome guide!! Commenting so I can find it again!
Comment by DanLopes at 17/04/2022 at 02:09 UTC*
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
X^3
you will fail.
No, I will not
Comment by CryonusPluto at 31/05/2022 at 10:06 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
test
Comment by tinytimbo2 at 17/08/2022 at 22:24 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Comment by Purple_Heart_Addict at 12/10/2022 at 23:04 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
shhesh the thread is still alive!
Comment by Hxrn at 26/10/2022 at 19:35 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Thanks for all these :)
Comment by ThankTheBaker at 29/01/2023 at 06:49 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
So let me just *test* this out **now**
Comment by SarkBM at 08/02/2023 at 17:38 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
|\__/\ ( .__. ) / \🍿\ \__/ \_/
Comment by Far_Pair8924 at 11/04/2023 at 07:44 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
`I keep forgetting each one`.
[spoiler]Does this work?
Lists ig
Comment by BigFinnsWetRide at 06/05/2023 at 01:37 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Comment by wiseoldangryowl at 14/07/2023 at 21:30 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
People ~~usually~~ suck, but ^this ^guy is awesome