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Subjects

JAVASCRIPTHTMLCSSPYTHONSQLJAVACPPCSHARPPHPTYPESCRIPTCRUBYGOSWIFTKOTLINRUSTRBASHSCALAOBJECTIVE-CDARTPERLLUAMATLABXMLJSONMARKDOWNASSEMBLYLATEXYAMLSOLIDITYBLOCKCHAIN

Topics

Introduction to Markdown

What is MarkdownMarkdown vs HTMLMarkdown editors and toolsBasic Markdown syntax

Markdown Text Formatting

Markdown headingsMarkdown paragraphsMarkdown bold and italic textMarkdown strikethroughMarkdown blockquotesMarkdown horizontal rules

Markdown Lists

Markdown unordered listsMarkdown ordered listsMarkdown nested listsMarkdown task lists

Markdown Links and Images

Markdown inline linksMarkdown reference linksMarkdown image syntaxMarkdown linked images

Markdown Code Formatting

Markdown inline codeMarkdown code blocksMarkdown syntax highlighting

Markdown Tables

Markdown basic table syntaxMarkdown table alignmentMarkdown multiline table cells

Advanced Markdown Features

Markdown footnotesMarkdown definition listsMarkdown abbreviationsMarkdown custom containers

Markdown Extensions

GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)CommonMarkMultiMarkdownMarkdown Extra

Markdown in Practice

Markdown for documentationMarkdown for bloggingMarkdown in version controlMarkdown for note-taking

Markdown Tools and Integrations

Markdown-to-HTML convertersMarkdown in static site generatorsMarkdown in content management systemsMarkdown linters and formatters

CommonMark: Standardizing Markdown

CommonMark is a rigorous specification of Markdown syntax, designed to address inconsistencies in Markdown implementations across various platforms and tools. It aims to create a standard, unambiguous syntax for Markdown.

What is CommonMark?

CommonMark is an initiative to standardize the Markdown syntax. It provides a set of comprehensive tests and a reference implementation to ensure consistent parsing and rendering of Markdown documents.

Key Features of CommonMark

  • Precise specification of Markdown syntax
  • Extensive test suite for implementers
  • Reference implementations in various programming languages
  • Backward compatibility with original Markdown

CommonMark Syntax Examples

CommonMark follows most of the basic Markdown syntax with some clarifications and additions. Here are a few examples:

Headings

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Lists

- Unordered list item
- Another item

1. Ordered list item
2. Second item

Benefits of Using CommonMark

CommonMark offers several advantages for both developers and users:

  1. Consistency across platforms and tools
  2. Improved portability of Markdown documents
  3. Clearer expectations for parsing behavior
  4. Easier implementation for developers

CommonMark vs. Other Markdown Flavors

While CommonMark aims to standardize Markdown, other flavors like GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), MultiMarkdown, and Markdown Extra offer additional features. CommonMark serves as a solid foundation for these extended syntaxes.

Feature CommonMark GFM MultiMarkdown
Tables No Yes Yes
Task Lists No Yes No
Footnotes No No Yes

Implementing CommonMark

For developers looking to implement CommonMark, the official website provides resources:

  • Specification document
  • Test suite
  • Reference implementations

These tools ensure that your implementation adheres to the CommonMark standard.

Conclusion

CommonMark plays a crucial role in standardizing Markdown syntax. By providing a clear specification and extensive testing, it ensures consistency across different platforms and tools. Whether you're a content creator or a developer, understanding and using CommonMark can lead to more reliable and portable Markdown documents.

For more information on Markdown tools and converters, check out our guide on Markdown to HTML Converters.