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: https://glitch-soc.github.io/docs/features/rich-text/
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
Superscript
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
Ordered list item 1.
Ordered list second item.
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.
Fruit
Apple
Orange
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.][https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown]
#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.]
