Markdown was invented by John @gruber to allow marked up text to be readable if it isn't formatted by a server. In Masto-world, some instance servers will not show formatting, so if your instance gives you the option, you can carefully craft a post so it will look formatted no matter who receives it.

To author markdown toots, your server must run GlitchSoc: glitch-soc.github.io/docs/feat…

I've crafted this post so that after each formatting example is a section titled "Coding" that shows a monospaced unformatted version of how I actually coded it. If nothing looks formatted, that means your instance server or Mastodon app doesn't support receiving formatting. I suggest you complain.

^{If you find inaccuracies, please private mention me in a reply and I will fix them.}

Heading 1 and Headings Heading

Heading 2

Heading 3

Equal Delineated Header 1

Minus Sign Delineated Header 2

Note: I could not figure out how to make a <hr/> style rule line.

Coding
# Heading 1 and Headings Heading
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Equal Delineated Header 1
=========================

Minus Sign Delineated Header 2
------------------------------

Quotes

Email block quote level 1

Email block quote level 2

Email block quote level 3

Coding
> Email block quote level 1
>> Email block quote level 2
>>> Email block quote level 3

Emphasis:

Bold
Italic
Underline
Strikeout
Italic Underline
Bold Italic
Bold Italic Underline
Italic Underline
Bold Underline
Italic Strikeout
Super^[sup]script[/sup]

Note: I could not figure out how to do subscript.

Coding
**Bold**
*Italic*
_Underline_
~~Strikeout~~
*_Italic Underline_*
***Bold Italic***
***_Bold Italic Underline_***
*_Italic Underline_*
**_Bold Underline_**
*~~Italic Strikeout~~*
Super^^script

If you surround an * or _ with spaces, it’ll be treated as a literal asterisk or underscore. To produce a literal asterisk or underscore at a position where it would otherwise be used as an emphasis delimiter, you can backslash escape it or space escape it.

*This text is surrounded by literal asterisks *
_ This text is surrounded by literal underline characters. _

Coding
\*This text is surrounded by literal asterisks \*
_ This text is surrounded by literal underline characters. _

Lists

1. Ordered list item 1.
2. Ordered list second item.
3. Ordered list third item showing actual digits ane ignored.

• Unordered list item
• Unordered list second item
• Unordered list third item; can use minus
• Unordered list four item; can use plus

To indent a list, put a space before the sub item.

1. Fruit
   
   • Apple
   • Orange

   
   

2. Vegetable
   
   • Lettuce
   • Carrot

   
   

Coding
1. Ordered list item 1.
2. Ordered list second item.
1. Ordered list third item showing actual digits ane ignored.

* Unordered list item
* Unordered list second item
- Unordered list third item; can use minus
+ Unordered list four item; can use plus

1. Fruit
* Apple
* Orange
2. Vegetable
* Lettuce
* Carrot

Links

Labeled link (only domain is shown):

This is an example inline link.

This link has no title attribute.

Coding
This is [an example](http://example.com/ "Title") inline link.

[This link](http://example.net/) has no title attribute.

Reference link:

This is a ref link test reference-style link.

Then, anywhere in the document, you define your link label as shown in the image. I used a number so it looks like a footnote if your server doesn't support it.

Coding
This is [a ref link test] [1] reference-style link.

[1]: http://example.com/my/link/is/long

Code Spans (Ignored Formatting Sections)

This is a monospaced font text span inside the browser's proportional font text using backticks (``).

This line and 
 this line will
be *monospaced* and both 
formatting and **markdown** will
be ignored. This is because
it begins and ends with a backtick character.

Coding
This is `a monospaced font text span` inside the browser's proportional font text using backticks (`).

`This line and 
 this line will
be *monospaced* and both 
formatting and **markdown** will
be ignored. This is because
it begins and ends with a backtick character.`

Finally

If you need to escape something, use a backslash!

[This is the Daring Fireball reference I used.][daringfireball.net/projects/ma…]

#BoostingIsSharing

#author #writer #mastodon #glitchsoc #markdown #markup #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #bookstodon

[Author retains copyright (c)2025 R.S., but you may repost, boost, or reuse the text so long as you retain the attribution to R.S.]