`) tag rather than the heading itself. This allows entire
sections to be manipulated using JavaScript or treated differently in
CSS.
### Extension: `ascii_identifiers` ###
Causes the identifiers produced by `auto_identifiers` to be pure ASCII.
Accents are stripped off of accented Latin letters, and non-Latin
letters are omitted.
### Extension: `gfm_auto_identifiers` ###
Changes the algorithm used by `auto_identifiers` to conform to
GitHub's method. Spaces are converted to dashes (`-`),
uppercase characters to lowercase characters, and punctuation
characters other than `-` and `_` are removed.
Emojis are replaced by their names.
## Math Input
The extensions [`tex_math_dollars`](#extension-tex_math_dollars),
[`tex_math_gfm`](#extension-tex_math_gfm),
[`tex_math_single_backslash`](#extension-tex_math_single_backslash), and
[`tex_math_double_backslash`](#extension-tex_math_double_backslash)
are described in the section about Pandoc's Markdown.
However, they can also be used with HTML input. This is handy for
reading web pages formatted using MathJax, for example.
## Raw HTML/TeX
The following extensions are described in more detail in
their respective sections of [Pandoc's Markdown]:
- [`raw_html`](#extension-raw_html) allows HTML elements which
are not representable in pandoc's AST to be parsed as raw HTML.
By default, this is disabled for HTML input.
- [`raw_tex`](#extension-raw_tex) allows raw LaTeX, TeX, and ConTeXt
to be included in a document. This extension can be enabled/disabled
for the following formats (in addition to `markdown`):
input formats
: `latex`, `textile`, `html` (environments, `\ref`, and
`\eqref` only), `ipynb`
output formats
: `textile`, `commonmark`
Note: as applied to `ipynb`, `raw_html` and `raw_tex` affect not
only raw TeX in Markdown cells, but data with mime type
`text/html` in output cells. Since the `ipynb` reader attempts
to preserve the richest possible outputs when several options
are given, you will get best results if you disable `raw_html`
and `raw_tex` when converting to formats like `docx` which don't
allow raw `html` or `tex`.
- [`native_divs`](#extension-native_divs) causes HTML `div`
elements to be parsed as native pandoc Div blocks.
If you want them to be parsed as raw HTML, use
`-f html-native_divs+raw_html`.
- [`native_spans`](#extension-native_spans) causes HTML `span`
elements to be parsed as native pandoc Span inlines.
If you want them to be parsed as raw HTML, use
`-f html-native_spans+raw_html`. If you want to drop all
`div`s and `span`s when converting HTML to Markdown, you
can use `pandoc -f html-native_divs-native_spans -t markdown`.
## Literate Haskell support
### Extension: `literate_haskell` ###
Treat the document as literate Haskell source.
This extension can be enabled/disabled for the following formats:
input formats
: `markdown`, `rst`, `latex`
output formats
: `markdown`, `rst`, `latex`, `html`
If you append `+lhs` (or `+literate_haskell`) to one of the formats
above, pandoc will treat the document as literate Haskell source.
This means that
- In Markdown input, "bird track" sections will be parsed as Haskell
code rather than block quotations. Text between `\begin{code}`
and `\end{code}` will also be treated as Haskell code. For
ATX-style headings the character '=' will be used instead of '#'.
- In Markdown output, code blocks with classes `haskell` and `literate`
will be rendered using bird tracks, and block quotations will be
indented one space, so they will not be treated as Haskell code.
In addition, headings will be rendered setext-style (with underlines)
rather than ATX-style (with '#' characters). (This is because ghc
treats '#' characters in column 1 as introducing line numbers.)
- In restructured text input, "bird track" sections will be parsed
as Haskell code.
- In restructured text output, code blocks with class `haskell` will
be rendered using bird tracks.
- In LaTeX input, text in `code` environments will be parsed as
Haskell code.
- In LaTeX output, code blocks with class `haskell` will be rendered
inside `code` environments.
- In HTML output, code blocks with class `haskell` will be rendered
with class `literatehaskell` and bird tracks.
Examples:
pandoc -f markdown+lhs -t html
reads literate Haskell source formatted with Markdown conventions and writes
ordinary HTML (without bird tracks).
pandoc -f markdown+lhs -t html+lhs
writes HTML with the Haskell code in bird tracks, so it can be copied
and pasted as literate Haskell source.
Note that GHC expects the bird tracks in the first column, so indented
literate code blocks (e.g. inside an itemized environment) will not be
picked up by the Haskell compiler.
## Other extensions
### Extension: `empty_paragraphs` ###
Allows empty paragraphs. By default empty paragraphs are
omitted.
This extension can be enabled/disabled for the following formats:
input formats
: `docx`, `html`
output formats
: `docx`, `odt`, `opendocument`, `html`, `latex`
### Extension: `native_numbering` ###
Enables native numbering of figures and tables. Enumeration
starts at 1.
This extension can be enabled/disabled for the following formats:
output formats
: `odt`, `opendocument`, `docx`
### Extension: `xrefs_name` ###
Links to headings, figures and tables inside the document are
substituted with cross-references that will use the name or caption
of the referenced item. The original link text is replaced once
the generated document is refreshed. This extension can be combined
with `xrefs_number` in which case numbers will appear before the
name.
Text in cross-references is only made consistent with the referenced
item once the document has been refreshed.
This extension can be enabled/disabled for the following formats:
output formats
: `odt`, `opendocument`
### Extension: `xrefs_number` ###
Links to headings, figures and tables inside the document are
substituted with cross-references that will use the number
of the referenced item. The original link text is discarded.
This extension can be combined with `xrefs_name` in which case
the name or caption numbers will appear after the number.
For the `xrefs_number` to be useful heading numbers must be enabled
in the generated document, also table and figure captions must be enabled
using for example the `native_numbering` extension.
Numbers in cross-references are only visible in the final document once
it has been refreshed.
This extension can be enabled/disabled for the following formats:
output formats
: `odt`, `opendocument`
### Extension: `styles` ### {#ext-styles}
When converting from docx, add `custom-styles` attributes
for all docx styles, regardless of whether pandoc understands
the meanings of these styles. Because attributes cannot be
added directly to paragraphs or text in the pandoc AST,
paragraph styles will cause Divs to be created and character
styles will cause Spans to be created to hold the attributes.
(Table styles will be added to the Table elements directly.)
This extension can be used with [docx custom styles](#custom-styles).
input formats
: `docx`
### Extension: `amuse` ###
In the `muse` input format, this enables Text::Amuse
extensions to Emacs Muse markup.
### Extension: `raw_markdown` ###
In the `ipynb` input format, this causes Markdown cells
to be included as raw Markdown blocks (allowing lossless
round-tripping) rather than being parsed. Use this only
when you are targeting `ipynb` or a Markdown-based
output format.
### Extension: `citations` (typst) {#typst-citations}
When the `citations` extension is enabled in `typst`
(as it is by default), `typst` citations will
be parsed as native pandoc citations, and native
pandoc citations will be rendered as `typst` citations.
### Extension: `citations` (org) {#org-citations}
When the `citations` extension is enabled in `org`,
org-cite and org-ref style citations will be parsed as
native pandoc citations, and org-cite citations will
be used to render native pandoc citations.
[org-cite]: https://orgmode.org/manual/Citations.html
[org-ref]: https://github.com/jkitchin/org-ref
### Extension: `citations` (docx) {#docx-citations}
When `citations` is enabled in `docx`, citations inserted
by Zotero or Mendeley or EndNote plugins will be parsed as native
pandoc citations. (Otherwise, the formatted citations generated
by the bibliographic software will be parsed as regular text.)
### Extension: `fancy_lists` (org) {#org-fancy-lists}
Some aspects of [Pandoc's Markdown fancy lists](#extension-fancy_lists) are also
accepted in `org` input, mimicking the option `org-list-allow-alphabetical` in
Emacs. As in Org Mode, enabling this extension allows lowercase and uppercase
alphabetical markers for ordered lists to be parsed in addition to arabic ones.
Note that for Org, this does not include roman numerals or the `#` placeholder
that are enabled by the extension in Pandoc's Markdown.
### Extension: `element_citations` ###
In the `jats` output formats, this causes reference items to
be replaced with `
` elements. These
elements are not influenced by CSL styles, but all information
on the item is included in tags.
### Extension: `ntb` ###
In the `context` output format this enables the use of [Natural Tables
(TABLE)](https://wiki.contextgarden.net/TABLE) instead of the default
[Extreme Tables (xtables)](https://wiki.contextgarden.net/xtables).
Natural tables allow more fine-grained global customization but come
at a performance penalty compared to extreme tables.
### Extension: `smart_quotes` (org) ###
Interpret straight quotes as curly quotes during parsing. When
*writing* Org, then the `smart_quotes` extension has the reverse
effect: what would have been curly quotes comes out straight.
This extension is implied if `smart` is enabled.
### Extension: `special_strings` (org) ###
Interpret `---` as em-dashes, `--` as en-dashes, `\-` as shy
hyphen, and `...` as ellipses.
This extension is implied if `smart` is enabled.
### Extension: `tagging` ### {#extension--tagging}
Enabling this extension with `context` output will produce markup
suitable for the production of tagged PDFs. This includes
additional markers for paragraphs and alternative markup for
emphasized text. The `emphasis-command` template variable is set
if the extension is enabled.
# Pandoc's Markdown
Pandoc understands an extended and slightly revised version of
John Gruber's [Markdown] syntax. This document explains the syntax,
noting differences from original Markdown. Except where noted, these
differences can be suppressed by using the `markdown_strict` format instead
of `markdown`. Extensions can be enabled or disabled to specify the
behavior more granularly. They are described in the following. See also
[Extensions] above, for extensions that work also on other formats.
## Philosophy
Markdown is designed to be easy to write, and, even more importantly,
easy to read:
> A Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain
> text, without looking like it's been marked up with tags or formatting
> instructions.\
> -- [John Gruber](https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax#philosophy)
This principle has guided pandoc's decisions in finding syntax for
tables, footnotes, and other extensions.
There is, however, one respect in which pandoc's aims are different
from the original aims of Markdown. Whereas Markdown was originally
designed with HTML generation in mind, pandoc is designed for multiple
output formats. Thus, while pandoc allows the embedding of raw HTML,
it discourages it, and provides other, non-HTMLish ways of representing
important document elements like definition lists, tables, mathematics, and
footnotes.
## Paragraphs
A paragraph is one or more lines of text followed by one or more blank lines.
Newlines are treated as spaces, so you can reflow your paragraphs as you like.
If you need a hard line break, put two or more spaces at the end of a line.
### Extension: `escaped_line_breaks` ###
A backslash followed by a newline is also a hard line break.
Note: in multiline and grid table cells, this is the only way
to create a hard line break, since trailing spaces in the cells
are ignored.
## Headings
There are two kinds of headings: Setext and ATX.
### Setext-style headings ###
A setext-style heading is a line of text "underlined" with a row of `=` signs
(for a level-one heading) or `-` signs (for a level-two heading):
A level-one heading
===================
A level-two heading
-------------------
The heading text can contain inline formatting, such as emphasis (see
[Inline formatting], below).
### ATX-style headings ###
An ATX-style heading consists of one to six `#` signs and a line of
text, optionally followed by any number of `#` signs. The number of
`#` signs at the beginning of the line is the heading level:
## A level-two heading
### A level-three heading ###
As with setext-style headings, the heading text can contain formatting:
# A level-one heading with a [link](/url) and *emphasis*
### Extension: `blank_before_header` ###
Original Markdown syntax does not require a blank line before a heading.
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). Consider, for example:
I like several of their flavors of ice cream:
#22, for example, and #5.
### Extension: `space_in_atx_header` ###
Many Markdown implementations do not require a space between the
opening `#`s of an ATX heading and the heading text, so that
`#5 bolt` and `#hashtag` count as headings. With this extension,
pandoc does require the space.
### Heading identifiers ###
See also the [`auto_identifiers`
extension](#extension-auto_identifiers) above.
### Extension: `header_attributes` ###
Headings can be assigned attributes using this syntax at the end
of the line containing the heading text:
{#identifier .class .class key=value key=value}
Thus, for example, the following headings will all be assigned the identifier
`foo`:
# My heading {#foo}
## My heading ## {#foo}
My other heading {#foo}
---------------
(This syntax is compatible with [PHP Markdown Extra].)
Note that although this syntax allows assignment of classes and key/value
attributes, writers generally don't use all of this information. Identifiers,
classes, and key/value attributes are used in HTML and HTML-based formats such
as EPUB and slidy. Identifiers are used for labels and link anchors in the
LaTeX, ConTeXt, Textile, Jira markup, and AsciiDoc writers.
Headings with the class `unnumbered` will not be numbered, even if
`--number-sections` is specified. A single hyphen (`-`) in an attribute
context is equivalent to `.unnumbered`, and preferable in non-English
documents. So,
# My heading {-}
is just the same as
# My heading {.unnumbered}
If the `unlisted` class is present in addition to `unnumbered`,
the heading will not be included in a table of contents.
(Currently this feature is only implemented for certain
formats: those based on LaTeX and HTML, PowerPoint, and RTF.)
### Extension: `implicit_header_references` ###
Pandoc behaves as if reference links have been defined for each heading.
So, to link to a heading
# Heading identifiers in HTML
you can simply write
[Heading identifiers in HTML]
or
[Heading identifiers in HTML][]
or
[the section on heading identifiers][heading identifiers in
HTML]
instead of giving the identifier explicitly:
[Heading identifiers in HTML](#heading-identifiers-in-html)
If there are multiple headings with identical text, the corresponding
reference will link to the first one only, and you will need to use explicit
links to link to the others, as described above.
Like regular reference links, these references are case-insensitive.
Explicit link reference definitions always take priority over
implicit heading references. So, in the following example, the
link will point to `bar`, not to `#foo`:
# Foo
[foo]: bar
See [foo]
## 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 headings), with each line preceded by a `>` character
and an optional space. (The `>` need not start at the left margin, but
it should not be indented more than three spaces.)
> This is a block quote. This
> paragraph has two lines.
>
> 1. This is a list inside a block quote.
> 2. Second item.
A "lazy" form, which requires the `>` character only on the first
line of each block, is also allowed:
> This is a block quote. This
paragraph has two lines.
> 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.
If the `>` character is followed by an optional space, that space
will be considered part of the block quote marker and not part of
the indentation of the contents. Thus, to put an indented code
block in a block quote, you need five spaces after the `>`:
> code
### Extension: `blank_before_blockquote` ###
Original 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 the `markdown_strict` format is used, the following does
not produce a nested block quote in pandoc:
> This is a block quote.
>> Not nested, since `blank_before_blockquote` is enabled by default
## 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.
### Fenced code blocks ###
### Extension: `fenced_code_blocks` ###
In addition to standard indented code blocks, pandoc supports
*fenced* code blocks. These begin with a row of three or more
tildes (`~`) and end with a row of tildes 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, fenced 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
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
### Extension: `backtick_code_blocks` ###
Same as `fenced_code_blocks`, but uses backticks (`` ` ``) instead of tildes
(`~`).
### Extension: `fenced_code_attributes` ###
Optionally, you may attach attributes to fenced or backtick 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 use this
information are HTML, LaTeX, Docx, Ms, and PowerPoint. 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, type `pandoc
--list-highlight-languages`.) Otherwise, the code block above
will appear as follows:
...
The `numberLines` (or `number-lines`) class will cause the lines
of the code block to be numbered, starting with `1` or the value
of the `startFrom` attribute. The `lineAnchors` (or
`line-anchors`) class will cause the lines to be clickable
anchors in HTML output.
A shortcut form can also be used for specifying the language of
the code block:
```haskell
qsort [] = []
```
This is equivalent to:
``` {.haskell}
qsort [] = []
```
This shortcut form may be combined with attributes:
```haskell {.numberLines}
qsort [] = []
```
Which is equivalent to:
``` {.haskell .numberLines}
qsort [] = []
```
If the `fenced_code_attributes` extension is disabled, but
input contains class attribute(s) for the code block, the first
class attribute will be printed after the opening fence as a bare
word.
To prevent all highlighting, use the `--syntax-highlighting=none`
option. To set the highlighting style or method, use
`--syntax-highlighting`. For more information on highlighting, see
[Syntax highlighting], below.
## Line blocks
### Extension: `line_blocks` ###
A line block is a sequence of lines beginning with a vertical bar (`|`)
followed by a space. The division into lines will be preserved in
the output, as will any leading spaces; otherwise, the lines will
be formatted as Markdown. This is useful for verse and addresses:
| The limerick packs laughs anatomical
| In space that is quite economical.
| But the good ones I've seen
| So seldom are clean
| And the clean ones so seldom are comical
| 200 Main St.
| Berkeley, CA 94718
The lines can be hard-wrapped if needed, but the continuation
line must begin with a space.
| The Right Honorable Most Venerable and Righteous Samuel L.
Constable, Jr.
| 200 Main St.
| Berkeley, CA 94718
Inline formatting (such as emphasis) is allowed in the content
(though it can't cross line boundaries). Block-level formatting
(such as block quotes or lists) is not recognized.
This syntax is borrowed from [reStructuredText].
## 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 bullets need not be flush with the left margin; they may be
indented one, two, or three spaces. The bullet must be followed
by whitespace.
List items look best if subsequent lines are flush with the first
line (after the bullet):
* here is my first
list item.
* and my second.
But Markdown also allows a "lazy" format:
* here is my first
list item.
* and my second.
### Block content in list items ###
A list item may contain multiple paragraphs and other block-level
content. However, subsequent paragraphs must be preceded by a blank line
and indented to line up with the first non-space content after
the list marker.
* First paragraph.
Continued.
* Second paragraph. With a code block, which must be indented
eight spaces:
{ code }
Exception: if the list marker is followed by an indented code
block, which must begin 5 spaces after the list marker, then
subsequent paragraphs must begin two columns after the last
character of the list marker:
* code
continuation paragraph
List items may include other lists. In this case the preceding blank
line is optional. The nested list must be indented to line up with
the first non-space character after the list marker of the
containing list item.
* fruits
+ apples
- macintosh
- red delicious
+ pears
+ peaches
* vegetables
+ broccoli
+ chard
As noted above, Markdown allows you to write list items "lazily," instead of
indenting continuation lines. However, if there are multiple paragraphs or
other blocks in a list item, the first line of each must be indented.
+ A lazy, lazy, list
item.
+ Another one; this looks
bad but is legal.
Second paragraph of second
list item.
### Ordered lists ###
Ordered lists work just like bulleted lists, except that the items
begin with enumerators rather than bullets.
In original 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 original 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-parenthesis 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 won a Nobel Prize (but not for "On Denoting").
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
The `fancy_lists` extension also allows '`#`' to be used as an
ordered list marker in place of a numeral:
#. one
#. two
Note: the '`#`' ordered list marker doesn't work with `commonmark`.
### 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
### Extension: `task_lists` ###
Pandoc supports task lists, using the syntax of GitHub-Flavored Markdown.
- [ ] an unchecked task list item
- [x] checked item
### Definition lists ###
### Extension: `definition_lists` ###
Pandoc supports definition lists, using the syntax of
[PHP Markdown Extra] with some extensions.[^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.
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. The
body of the definition (not including the first line)
should be indented four spaces. However, as with
other Markdown lists, you can "lazily" omit indentation except
at the beginning of a paragraph or other block element:
Term 1
: Definition
with lazy continuation.
Second paragraph of the definition.
If you leave space before the definition (as in the example above),
the text of the definition will be treated as a paragraph. In some
output formats, this will mean greater spacing between term/definition
pairs. For a more compact definition list, omit the space before the
definition:
Term 1
~ Definition 1
Term 2
~ Definition 2a
~ Definition 2b
Note that space between items in a definition list is required.
[^3]: I have been influenced by the suggestions of [David
Wheeler](https://justatheory.com/2009/02/modest-markdown-proposal/).
### 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.
Continuation paragraphs in example lists must always
be indented four spaces, regardless of the length of the
list marker. That is, example lists always behave as if the
`four_space_rule` extension is set. This is because example
labels tend to be long, and indenting content to the
first non-space character after the label would be awkward.
You can repeat an earlier numbered example by re-using its label:
(@foo) Sample sentence.
Intervening text...
This theory can explain the case we saw earlier (repeated):
(@foo) Sample sentence.
This only works reliably, though, if the repeated item is in a list
by itself, because each numbered example list will be numbered
continuously from its starting number.
### 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:
* * * *
---------------
We strongly recommend that horizontal rules be separated from
surrounding text by blank lines. If a horizontal rule is not
followed by a blank line, pandoc may try to interpret the
lines that follow as a YAML metadata block or a table.
## 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.
### Extension: `table_captions` ###
A caption may optionally be provided with all 4 kinds of tables (as
illustrated in the examples below). A caption is a paragraph beginning
with the string `Table:` (or `table:` or just `:`), which will be stripped
off. It may appear either before or after the table.
### Extension: `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 header 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:[^4]
- 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).
[^4]: This scheme is due to Michel Fortin, who proposed it on the
[Markdown discussion list](http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/markdown-discuss/2005-March/001097.html).
The table must end with a blank line, or a line of dashes followed by
a blank line.
The column header row 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 the header row is 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.
### Extension: `multiline_tables` ###
Multiline tables allow header 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. It, too, may span
multiple lines.
These work like simple tables, but with the following differences:
- They must begin with a row of dashes, before the header text
(unless the header row is 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.
The header 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.
----------- ------- --------------- -------------------------
: Here's a multiline table without a header.
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.
### Extension: `grid_tables` ###
Grid tables look like this:
: Sample grid table.
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| 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.).
Cells can span multiple columns or rows:
+---------------------+----------+
| Property | Earth |
+=============+=======+==========+
| | min | -89.2 掳C |
| Temperature +-------+----------+
| 1961-1990 | mean | 14 掳C |
| +-------+----------+
| | max | 56.7 掳C |
+-------------+-------+----------+
A table header may contain more than one row:
+---------------------+-----------------------+
| Location | Temperature 1961-1990 |
| | in degree Celsius |
| +-------+-------+-------+
| | min | mean | max |
+=====================+=======+=======+=======+
| Antarctica | -89.2 | N/A | 19.8 |
+---------------------+-------+-------+-------+
| Earth | -89.2 | 14 | 56.7 |
+---------------------+-------+-------+-------+
Alignments can be specified as with pipe tables, by putting
colons at the boundaries of the separator line after the
header:
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| Right | Left | Centered |
+==============:+:==============+:==================:+
| Bananas | $1.34 | built-in wrapper |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
For headerless tables, the colons go on the top line instead:
+--------------:+:--------------+:------------------:+
| Right | Left | Centered |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
A table foot can be defined by enclosing it with separator lines
that use `=` instead of `-`:
+---------------+---------------+
| Fruit | Price |
+===============+===============+
| Bananas | $1.34 |
+---------------+---------------+
| Oranges | $2.10 |
+===============+===============+
| Sum | $3.44 |
+===============+===============+
The foot must always be placed at the very bottom of the table.
Grid tables can be created easily using Emacs' table-mode
(`M-x table-insert`).
### Extension: `pipe_tables` ###
Pipe tables look like this:
| Right | Left | Default | Center |
|------:|:-----|---------|:------:|
| 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| 123 | 123 | 123 | 123 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
: Demonstration of pipe table syntax.
The syntax is identical to [PHP Markdown Extra tables]. The beginning and
ending pipe characters are optional, but pipes are required between all
columns. The colons indicate column alignment as shown. The header
cannot be omitted. To simulate a headerless table, include a header
with blank cells.
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. If any line of the
Markdown source is longer than the column width (see `--columns`),
then the table will take up the full text width and the cell
contents will wrap, with the relative cell widths determined by
the number of dashes in the line separating the table header
from the table body. (For example `---|-` would make the first column 3/4
and the second column 1/4 of the full text width.)
On the other hand, if no lines are wider than column width, then
cell contents will not be wrapped, and the cells will be sized
to their contents.
Note: pandoc also recognizes pipe tables of the following
form, as can be produced by Emacs' orgtbl-mode:
| One | Two |
|-----+-------|
| my | table |
| is | nice |
The difference is that `+` is used instead of `|`. Other orgtbl features
are not supported. In particular, to get non-default column alignment,
you'll need to add colons as above.
[PHP Markdown Extra tables]: https://michelf.ca/projects/php-markdown/extra/#table
## Metadata blocks
### Extension: `pandoc_title_block` ###
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 date 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.).
Title blocks will always be parsed, but they will affect the output only
when the `--standalone` (`-s`) option is chosen. In HTML output, titles
will appear twice: once in the document head---this is the title that
will appear at the top of the window in a browser---and once at the
beginning of the document body. The title in the document head can have
an optional prefix attached (`--title-prefix` or `-T` option). The title
in the body appears as an H1 element with class "title", so it can be
suppressed or reformatted with CSS. If a title prefix is specified with
`-T` and no title block appears in the document, the title prefix will
be used by itself as the HTML title.
The man page writer extracts a title, man page section number, and
other header and footer information from the title line. The title
is assumed to be the first word on the title line, which may optionally
end with a (single-digit) section number in parentheses. (There should
be no space between the title and the parentheses.) Anything after
this is assumed to be additional footer and header text. A single pipe
character (`|`) should be used to separate the footer text from the header
text. Thus,
% PANDOC(1)
will yield a man page with the title `PANDOC` and section 1.
% PANDOC(1) Pandoc User Manuals
will also have "Pandoc User Manuals" in the footer.
% PANDOC(1) Pandoc User Manuals | Version 4.0
will also have "Version 4.0" in the header.
### Extension: `yaml_metadata_block` ###
A [YAML] metadata block is a valid YAML object, delimited by a line of three
hyphens (`---`) at the top and a line of three hyphens (`---`) or three dots
(`...`) at the bottom. The initial line `---` must not be followed by a blank
line. A YAML metadata block may occur anywhere in the document, but if
it is not at the beginning, it must be preceded by a blank line.
Note that, because of the way pandoc concatenates input files
when several are provided, you may also keep the metadata in a
separate YAML file and pass it to pandoc as an argument, along
with your Markdown files:
pandoc chap1.md chap2.md chap3.md metadata.yaml -s -o book.html
Just be sure that the YAML file begins with `---` and ends with `---` or
`...`. Alternatively, you can use the `--metadata-file` option. Using
that approach however, you cannot reference content (like footnotes)
from the main Markdown input document.
Metadata will be taken from the fields of the YAML object and added to any
existing document metadata. Metadata can contain lists and objects (nested
arbitrarily), but all string scalars will be interpreted as Markdown. Fields
with names ending in an underscore will be ignored by pandoc. (They may be
given a role by external processors.) Field names must not be
interpretable as YAML numbers or boolean values (so, for
example, `yes`, `True`, and `15` cannot be used as field names).
A document may contain multiple metadata blocks. If two
metadata blocks attempt to set the same field, the value from
the second block will be taken.
Each metadata block is handled internally as an independent YAML document.
This means, for example, that any YAML anchors defined in a block cannot be
referenced in another block.
When pandoc is used with `-t markdown` to create a Markdown document,
a YAML metadata block will be produced only if the `-s/--standalone`
option is used. All of the metadata will appear in a single block
at the beginning of the document.
Note that [YAML] escaping rules must be followed. Thus, for example,
if a title contains a colon, it must be quoted, and if it contains a
backslash escape, then it must be ensured that it is not treated as a
[YAML escape sequence]. The pipe character (`|`) can be used to begin
an indented block that will be interpreted literally, without need for
escaping. This form is necessary when the field contains blank lines
or block-level formatting:
---
title: 'This is the title: it contains a colon'
author:
- Author One
- Author Two
keywords: [nothing, nothingness]
abstract: |
This is the abstract.
It consists of two paragraphs.
...
The literal block after the `|` must be indented relative to the
line containing the `|`. If it is not, the YAML will be invalid
and pandoc will not interpret it as metadata. For an overview
of the complex rules governing YAML, see the [Wikipedia entry on
YAML syntax].
Template variables will be set automatically from the metadata. Thus, for
example, in writing HTML, the variable `abstract` will be set to the HTML
equivalent of the Markdown in the `abstract` field:
This is the abstract.
It consists of two paragraphs.
Variables can contain arbitrary YAML structures, but the template must match
this structure. The `author` variable in the default templates expects a
simple list or string, but can be changed to support more complicated
structures. The following combination, for example, would add an affiliation
to the author if one is given:
---
title: The document title
author:
- name: Author One
affiliation: University of Somewhere
- name: Author Two
affiliation: University of Nowhere
...
To use the structured authors in the example above, you would need a custom
template:
$for(author)$
$if(author.name)$
$author.name$$if(author.affiliation)$ ($author.affiliation$)$endif$
$else$
$author$
$endif$
$endfor$
Raw content to include in the document's header may be specified
using `header-includes`; however, it is important to mark up
this content as raw code for a particular output format, using
the [`raw_attribute` extension](#extension-raw_attribute), or it
will be interpreted as Markdown. For example:
header-includes:
- |
```{=latex}
\let\oldsection\section
\renewcommand{\section}[1]{\clearpage\oldsection{#1}}
```
Note: the `yaml_metadata_block` extension works with
`commonmark` as well as `markdown` (and it is enabled by default
in `gfm` and `commonmark_x`). However, in these formats the
following restrictions apply:
- The YAML metadata block must occur at the beginning of the
document (and there can be only one). If multiple files are
given as arguments to pandoc, only the first can be a YAML
metadata block.
- The leaf nodes of the YAML structure are parsed in isolation from
each other and from the rest of the document. So, for
example, you can't use a reference link in these contexts
if the link definition is somewhere else in the document.
[YAML escape sequence]: https://yaml.org/spec/1.2/spec.html#id2776092
[Wikipedia entry on YAML syntax]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YAML#Syntax
## 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 original Markdown's rule,
which allows only the following characters to be backslash-escaped:
\`*_{}[]()>#+-.!
(However, if the `markdown_strict` format is used, the original Markdown rule
will be used.)
A backslash-escaped space is parsed as a nonbreaking space. In TeX output,
it will appear as `~`. In HTML and XML output, it will appear as a
literal unicode nonbreaking space character (note that it will thus
actually look "invisible" in the generated HTML source; you can still
use the `--ascii` command-line option to make it appear as an explicit
entity).
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.
## Inline formatting
### Emphasis ###
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\*.
### Extension: `intraword_underscores` ###
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 ###
### Extension: `strikeout` ###
To strike out a section of text with a horizontal line, begin and end it
with `~~`. Thus, for example,
This ~~is deleted text.~~
### Superscripts and subscripts ###
### Extension: `superscript`, `subscript` ###
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.
The text between `^...^` or `~...~` may not contain spaces or
newlines. 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 `^`, and also bad interactions with
footnotes.) 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
[fenced code blocks]:
`<$>`{.haskell}
### Underline ###
To underline text, use the `underline` class:
[Underline]{.underline}
Or, without the `bracketed_spans` extension (but with `native_spans`):
Underline
This will work in all output formats that support underline.
### Small caps ###
To write small caps, use the `smallcaps` class:
[Small caps]{.smallcaps}
Or, without the `bracketed_spans` extension:
Small caps
For compatibility with other Markdown flavors, CSS is also supported:
Small caps
This will work in all output formats that support small caps.
### Highlighting ###
To highlight text, use the `mark` class:
[Mark]{.mark}
Or, without the `bracketed_spans` extension (but with `native_spans`):
Mark
This will work in all output formats that support highlighting.
## Math
### Extension: `tex_math_dollars` ###
Anything between two `$` characters will be treated as TeX math. The
opening `$` must have a non-space character immediately to its right,
while the closing `$` must have a non-space character immediately to its
left, and must not be followed immediately by a digit. 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.
For display math, use `$$` delimiters. (In this case, the delimiters
may be separated from the formula by whitespace. However, there can be
no blank lines between the opening and closing `$$` delimiters.)
TeX math will be printed in all output formats. How it is rendered
depends on the output format:
LaTeX
~ It will appear verbatim surrounded by `\(...\)` (for inline
math) or `\[...\]` (for display math).
Markdown, Emacs Org mode, ConTeXt, ZimWiki
~ It will appear verbatim surrounded by `$...$` (for inline
math) or `$$...$$` (for display math).
XWiki
~ It will appear verbatim surrounded by `{{formula}}..{{/formula}}`.
reStructuredText
~ It will be rendered using an [interpreted text role `:math:`].
AsciiDoc
~ For AsciiDoc output math will appear verbatim surrounded by
`latexmath:[...]`. For `asciidoc_legacy` the bracketed
material will also include inline or display math delimiters.
Texinfo
~ It will be rendered inside a `@math` command.
roff man, Jira markup
~ It will be rendered verbatim without `$`'s.
MediaWiki, DokuWiki
~ It will be rendered inside `