` (or `

`) tag rather than the header itself. This allows entire sections to be manipulated using javascript or treated differently in CSS. ### Block quotations Markdown uses email conventions for quoting blocks of text. A block quotation is one or more paragraphs or other block elements (such as lists or headers), with each line preceded by a `>` character and a space. > This is a block quote. This paragraph does indeed have more than one line. > > 1. This is a list inside a block quote. > 2. Second item. Among the block elements that can be contained in a block quote are other block quotes. That is, block quotes can be nested: > This is a block quote. > >> A block quote within a block quote. **Extension: `blank_line_before_blockquote`** Standard markdown syntax does not require a blank line before a block quote. Pandoc does require this (except, of course, at the beginning of the document). The reason for the requirement is that it is all too easy for a `>` to end up at the beginning of a line by accident (perhaps through line wrapping). So, unless `--strict` is used, the following does not produce a nested block quote in pandoc: > This is a block quote. >> Nested. ### Verbatim (code) blocks #### Indented code blocks A block of text indented four spaces (or one tab) is treated as verbatim text: that is, special characters do not trigger special formatting, and all spaces and line breaks are preserved. For example, if (a > 3) { moveShip(5 * gravity, DOWN); } The initial (four space or one tab) indentation is not considered part of the verbatim text, and is removed in the output. Note: blank lines in the verbatim text need not begin with four spaces. #### Delimited code blocks **Extension: `delimited_code_blocks`** In addition to standard indented code blocks, Pandoc supports *delimited* code blocks. These begin with a row of three or more tildes (`~`) or backticks (`` ` ``) and end with a row of tildes or backticks that must be at least as long as the starting row. Everything between these lines is treated as code. No indentation is necessary: ~~~~~~~ if (a > 3) { moveShip(5 * gravity, DOWN); } ~~~~~~~ Like regular code blocks, delimited code blocks must be separated from surrounding text by blank lines. If the code itself contains a row of tildes or backticks, just use a longer row of tildes or backticks at the start and end: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ code including tildes ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Optionally, you may attach attributes to the code block using this syntax: ~~~~ {#mycode .haskell .numberLines startFrom="100"} qsort [] = [] qsort (x:xs) = qsort (filter (< x) xs) ++ [x] ++ qsort (filter (>= x) xs) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here `mycode` is an identifier, `haskell` and `numberLines` are classes, and `startFrom` is an attribute with value `100`. Some output formats can use this information to do syntax highlighting. Currently, the only output formats that uses this information are HTML and LaTeX. If highlighting is supported for your output format and language, then the code block above will appear highlighted, with numbered lines. (To see which languages are supported, do `pandoc --version`.) Otherwise, the code block above will appear as follows:

...

A shortcut form can also be used for specifying the language of the code block: ```haskell qsort [] = [] ``` This is equivalent to: ``` {.haskell} qsort [] = [] ``` ### Lists #### Bullet lists A bullet list is a list of bulleted list items. A bulleted list item begins with a bullet (`*`, `+`, or `-`). Here is a simple example: * one * two * three This will produce a "compact" list. If you want a "loose" list, in which each item is formatted as a paragraph, put spaces between the items: * one * two * three ### The four-space rule A list item may contain multiple paragraphs and other block-level content. However, subsequent paragraphs must be preceded by a blank line and indented four spaces or a tab. The list will look better if the first paragraph is aligned with the rest: * First paragraph. Continued. * Second paragraph. With a code block, which must be indented eight spaces: { code } List items may include other lists. In this case the preceding blank line is optional. The nested list must be indented one tab: * fruits + apples - macintosh - red delicious + pears + peaches * vegetables + brocolli + chard The [markdown syntax guide] is not explicit whether the four-space rule applies to *all* block-level content in a list item; it only mentions paragraphs and code blocks. But it implies that the rule applies to all block-level content (including nested lists), and pandoc interprets it that way. [markdown syntax guide]: http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax#list ### Ordered lists Ordered lists work just like bulleted lists, except that the items begin with enumerators rather than bullets. In standard markdown, enumerators are decimal numbers followed by a period and a space. The numbers themselves are ignored, so there is no difference between this list: 1. one 2. two 3. three and this one: 5. one 7. two 1. three **Extension: `fancy_lists`** Unlike standard markdown, Pandoc allows ordered list items to be marked with uppercase and lowercase letters and roman numerals, in addition to arabic numerals. List markers may be enclosed in parentheses or followed by a single right-parentheses or period. They must be separated from the text that follows by at least one space, and, if the list marker is a capital letter with a period, by at least two spaces.[^2] [^2]: The point of this rule is to ensure that normal paragraphs starting with people's initials, like B. Russell was an English philosopher. do not get treated as list items. This rule will not prevent (C) 2007 Joe Smith from being interpreted as a list item. In this case, a backslash escape can be used: (C\) 2007 Joe Smith **Extension: `startnum`** Pandoc also pays attention to the type of list marker used, and to the starting number, and both of these are preserved where possible in the output format. Thus, the following yields a list with numbers followed by a single parenthesis, starting with 9, and a sublist with lowercase roman numerals: 9) Ninth 10) Tenth 11) Eleventh i. subone ii. subtwo iii. subthree Pandoc will start a new list each time a different type of list marker is used. So, the following will create three lists: 2) Two 5) Three 1. Four * Five If default list markers are desired, use `#.`: #. one #. two #. three ### Definition lists **Extension: `definition_lists`** Pandoc supports definition lists, using a syntax inspired by [PHP Markdown Extra] and [reStructuredText]:[^3] Term 1 : Definition 1 Term 2 with *inline markup* : Definition 2 { some code, part of Definition 2 } Third paragraph of definition 2. Each term must fit on one line, which may optionally be followed by a blank line, and must be followed by one or more definitions. A definition begins with a colon or tilde, which may be indented one or two spaces. The body of the definition (including the first line, aside from the colon or tilde) should be indented four spaces. A term may have multiple definitions, and each definition may consist of one or more block elements (paragraph, code block, list, etc.), each indented four spaces or one tab stop. If you leave space after the definition (as in the example above), the blocks of the definitions will be considered paragraphs. In some output formats, this will mean greater spacing between term/definition pairs. For a compact definition list, do not leave space between the definition and the next term: Term 1 ~ Definition 1 Term 2 ~ Definition 2a ~ Definition 2b [^3]: I have also been influenced by the suggestions of [David Wheeler](http://www.justatheory.com/computers/markup/modest-markdown-proposal.html). [PHP Markdown Extra]: http://www.michelf.com/projects/php-markdown/extra/ ### Numbered example lists **Extension: `example_lists`** The special list marker `@` can be used for sequentially numbered examples. The first list item with a `@` marker will be numbered '1', the next '2', and so on, throughout the document. The numbered examples need not occur in a single list; each new list using `@` will take up where the last stopped. So, for example: (@) My first example will be numbered (1). (@) My second example will be numbered (2). Explanation of examples. (@) My third example will be numbered (3). Numbered examples can be labeled and referred to elsewhere in the document: (@good) This is a good example. As (@good) illustrates, ... The label can be any string of alphanumeric characters, underscores, or hyphens. ### Compact and loose lists Pandoc behaves differently from `Markdown.pl` on some "edge cases" involving lists. Consider this source: + First + Second: - Fee - Fie - Foe + Third Pandoc transforms this into a "compact list" (with no `

` tags around "First", "Second", or "Third"), while markdown puts `

` tags around "Second" and "Third" (but not "First"), because of the blank space around "Third". Pandoc follows a simple rule: if the text is followed by a blank line, it is treated as a paragraph. Since "Second" is followed by a list, and not a blank line, it isn't treated as a paragraph. The fact that the list is followed by a blank line is irrelevant. ### Ending a list What if you want to put an indented code block after a list? - item one - item two { my code block } Trouble! Here pandoc (like other markdown implementations) will treat `{ my code block }` as the second paragraph of item two, and not as a code block. To "cut off" the list after item two, you can insert some non-indented content, like an HTML comment, which won't produce visible output in any format: - item one - item two { my code block } You can use the same trick if you want two consecutive lists instead of one big list: 1. one 2. two 3. three 1. uno 2. dos 3. tres ### Horizontal rules A line containing a row of three or more `*`, `-`, or `_` characters (optionally separated by spaces) produces a horizontal rule: * * * ### Tables Four kinds of tables may be used. The first three kinds presuppose the use of a fixed-width font, such as Courier. The fourth kind can be used with proportionally spaced fonts, as it does not require lining up columns. #### Simple tables Simple tables look like this: Right Left Center Default ------- ------ ---------- ------- 12 12 12 12 123 123 123 123 1 1 1 1 Table: Demonstration of simple table syntax. The headers and table rows must each fit on one line. Column alignments are determined by the position of the header text relative to the dashed line below it: - If the dashed line is flush with the header text on the right side but extends beyond it on the left, the column is right-aligned. - If the dashed line is flush with the header text on the left side but extends beyond it on the right, the column is left-aligned. - If the dashed line extends beyond the header text on both sides, the column is centered. - If the dashed line is flush with the header text on both sides, the default alignment is used (in most cases, this will be left). The table must end with a blank line, or a line of dashes followed by a blank line. A caption may optionally be provided (as illustrated in the example above). A caption is a paragraph beginning with the string `Table:` (or just `:`), which will be stripped off. It may appear either before or after the table. The column headers may be omitted, provided a dashed line is used to end the table. For example: ------- ------ ---------- ------- 12 12 12 12 123 123 123 123 1 1 1 1 ------- ------ ---------- ------- When headers are omitted, column alignments are determined on the basis of the first line of the table body. So, in the tables above, the columns would be right, left, center, and right aligned, respectively. #### Multiline tables Multiline tables allow headers and table rows to span multiple lines of text (but cells that span multiple columns or rows of the table are not supported). Here is an example: ------------------------------------------------------------- Centered Default Right Left Header Aligned Aligned Aligned ----------- ------- --------------- ------------------------- First row 12.0 Example of a row that spans multiple lines. Second row 5.0 Here's another one. Note the blank line between rows. ------------------------------------------------------------- Table: Here's the caption. These work like simple tables, but with the following differences: - They must begin with a row of dashes, before the header text (unless the headers are omitted). - They must end with a row of dashes, then a blank line. - The rows must be separated by blank lines. In multiline tables, the table parser pays attention to the widths of the columns, and the writers try to reproduce these relative widths in the output. So, if you find that one of the columns is too narrow in the output, try widening it in the markdown source. Headers may be omitted in multiline tables as well as simple tables: ----------- ------- --------------- ------------------------- First row 12.0 Example of a row that spans multiple lines. Second row 5.0 Here's another one. Note the blank line between rows. ------------------------------------------------------------- It is possible for a multiline table to have just one row, but the row should be followed by a blank line (and then the row of dashes that ends the table), or the table may be interpreted as a simple table. #### Grid tables Grid tables look like this: +---------------+---------------+--------------------+ | Fruit | Price | Advantages | +===============+===============+====================+ | Bananas | $1.34 | - built-in wrapper | | | | - bright color | +---------------+---------------+--------------------+ | Oranges | $2.10 | - cures scurvy | | | | - tasty | +---------------+---------------+--------------------+ The row of `=`s separates the header from the table body, and can be omitted for a headerless table. The cells of grid tables may contain arbitrary block elements (multiple paragraphs, code blocks, lists, etc.). Alignments are not supported, nor are cells that span multiple columns or rows. Grid tables can be created easily using [Emacs table mode]. #### Pipe tables Pipe tables look like this: | Right | Left | Default | Center | |------:|:-----|---------|:------:| | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | | 123 | 123 | 123 | 123 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | The syntax is the same as in PHP Markdown Extra. The beginning and ending pipe characters are optional, but pipes are required between all columns. The colons indicate column alignment as shown. The header can be omitted, but the horizontal line must still be included, as it defines column alignments. Since the pipes indicate column boundaries, columns need not be vertically aligned, as they are in the above example. So, this is a perfectly legal (though ugly) pipe table: fruit| price -----|-----: apple|2.05 pear|1.37 orange|3.09 The cells of pipe tables cannot contain block elements like paragraphs and lists, and cannot span multiple lines. Title block ----------- **Extension: `pandoc_title_blocks`** If the file begins with a title block % title % author(s) (separated by semicolons) % date it will be parsed as bibliographic information, not regular text. (It will be used, for example, in the title of standalone LaTeX or HTML output.) The block may contain just a title, a title and an author, or all three elements. If you want to include an author but no title, or a title and a date but no author, you need a blank line: % % Author % My title % % June 15, 2006 The title may occupy multiple lines, but continuation lines must begin with leading space, thus: % My title on multiple lines If a document has multiple authors, the authors may be put on separate lines with leading space, or separated by semicolons, or both. So, all of the following are equivalent: % Author One Author Two % Author One; Author Two % Author One; Author Two The date must fit on one line. All three metadata fields may contain standard inline formatting (italics, links, footnotes, etc.). Backslash escapes ----------------- **Extension: `all_symbols_escapable`** Except inside a code block or inline code, any punctuation or space character preceded by a backslash will be treated literally, even if it would normally indicate formatting. Thus, for example, if one writes *\*hello\** one will get *hello* instead of hello This rule is easier to remember than standard markdown's rule, which allows only the following characters to be backslash-escaped: \`*_{}[]()>#+-.! A backslash-escaped space is parsed as a nonbreaking space. It will appear in TeX output as `~` and in HTML and XML as `\ ` or `\ `. A backslash-escaped newline (i.e. a backslash occurring at the end of a line) is parsed as a hard line break. It will appear in TeX output as `\\` and in HTML as `
`. This is a nice alternative to markdown's "invisible" way of indicating hard line breaks using two trailing spaces on a line. Backslash escapes do not work in verbatim contexts. ### Smart punctuation Pandoc will produce typographically correct output, converting straight quotes to curly quotes, `---` to em-dashes, `--` to en-dashes, and `...` to ellipses. Nonbreaking spaces are inserted after certain abbreviations, such as "Mr." Note: if your LaTeX template uses the `csquotes` package, pandoc will detect automatically this and use `\enquote{...}` for quoted text. ### Inline formatting To *emphasize* some text, surround it with `*`s or `_`, like this: This text is _emphasized with underscores_, and this is *emphasized with asterisks*. Double `*` or `_` produces **strong emphasis**: This is **strong emphasis** and __with underscores__. A `*` or `_` character surrounded by spaces, or backslash-escaped, will not trigger emphasis: This is * not emphasized *, and \*neither is this\*. Because `_` is sometimes used inside words and identifiers, pandoc does not interpret a `_` surrounded by alphanumeric characters as an emphasis marker. If you want to emphasize just part of a word, use `*`: feas*ible*, not feas*able*. #### Strikeout To strikeout a section of text with a horizontal line, begin and end it with `~~`. Thus, for example, This ~~is deleted text.~~ #### Superscripts and subscripts Superscripts may be written by surrounding the superscripted text by `^` characters; subscripts may be written by surrounding the subscripted text by `~` characters. Thus, for example, H~2~O is a liquid. 2^10^ is 1024. If the superscripted or subscripted text contains spaces, these spaces must be escaped with backslashes. (This is to prevent accidental superscripting and subscripting through the ordinary use of `~` and `^`.) Thus, if you want the letter P with 'a cat' in subscripts, use `P~a\ cat~`, not `P~a cat~`. #### Verbatim To make a short span of text verbatim, put it inside backticks: What is the difference between `>>=` and `>>`? If the verbatim text includes a backtick, use double backticks: Here is a literal backtick `` ` ``. (The spaces after the opening backticks and before the closing backticks will be ignored.) The general rule is that a verbatim span starts with a string of consecutive backticks (optionally followed by a space) and ends with a string of the same number of backticks (optionally preceded by a space). Note that backslash-escapes (and other markdown constructs) do not work in verbatim contexts: This is a backslash followed by an asterisk: `\*`. **Extension: `inline_code_attributes`** Attributes can be attached to verbatim text, just as with [delimited code blocks](#delimited-code-blocks): `<$>`{.haskell} ### Math Anything between two `$` characters will be treated as TeX math. The opening `$` must have a character immediately to its right, while the closing `$` must have a character immediately to its left. Thus, `$20,000 and $30,000` won't parse as math. If for some reason you need to enclose text in literal `$` characters, backslash-escape them and they won't be treated as math delimiters. TeX math will be printed in all output formats. How it is rendered depends on the output format: * HTML: with (mathjax)[http://www.mathjax.org/] * Latex: with Latex ### Raw HTML Markdown allows you to insert raw HTML (or DocBook) anywhere in a document (except verbatim contexts, where `<`, `>`, and `&` are interpreted literally). Standard markdown allows you to include HTML "blocks": blocks of HTML between balanced tags that are separated from the surrounding text with blank lines, and start and end at the left margin. Within these blocks, everything is interpreted as HTML, not markdown; so (for example), `*` does not signify emphasis. Pandoc interprets material between HTML block tags as markdown. Thus, for example, Pandoc will turn

*one* [a link](http://google.com)

into

one a link

There is one exception to this rule: text between `