viewMarkdown Syntax Guide
viewMarkdown works best when you know which parts of a document stay portable Markdown and which parts depend on editor-specific behavior. This page separates the common syntax you can expect anywhere from the additions, shortcuts, and rendering rules that matter specifically inside the application.
References such as 6.4 point to the matching section in the accompanying
features.md file. Download it, open it, and use
Ctrl+E to switch between rich-text and source views while you compare behavior.
Core Markdown
- Headings, paragraphs, links, images, emphasis, blockquotes, code fences, and thematic breaks. 2.1-2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 7.1
- Bullet lists, ordered lists, and task lists. 6.1-6.4
- Reference links, autolinks, and inline HTML where the document format calls for it. 5.2-5.3, 13.1
Extended Support
- Tables with alignment. 9.2
- Math blocks and inline math. 10.1-10.2
- Mermaid diagrams. 11
- Raw HTML blocks where needed. 13.2
- Front matter and raw HTML tables. 8.6, 9.7
viewMarkdown Specifics
Main Areas
| Topic | What matters in viewMarkdown |
|---|---|
| Admonitions 7.4-7.5 |
GitHub-style callouts are supported for notes, warnings, bugs, and summary-style guidance. |
| Tables 9.6-9.7 |
Table editing stays portable by storing in-cell line breaks as <br>. |
| Front matter 8.6 |
Document metadata is treated as an editable part of the file rather than a hidden preamble. |
| Raw HTML tables 9.7 |
Raw HTML remains available when standard Markdown tables are not expressive enough. |
| Line-style commands 6.1-6.4 |
Shortcut-driven line transforms can switch task, bullet, and ordered markers in place without stacking conflicting prefixes. |
Admonitions and Callouts
Use Ctrl+Shift+Q to start a quote block, then use Ctrl+0 to cycle between the supported admonitions.
The result stays in portable Markdown callout syntax, while the editor handles the repetitive structure changes through direct keyboard transforms rather than manual marker edits.
Tables
Start a table with Ctrl+Shift+T, then use
Shift+Enter for in-cell line breaks stored as <br>, keeping the
source portable across other Markdown tools.
Line-style shortcuts still work where they make sense inside table cells: Ctrl+1 cycles task markers, Ctrl+2 switches bullet prefixes, and Ctrl+3 cycles enumeration styles.
Front Matter
Add or transform a metadata block with Alt+Shift+Y, keeping document properties close to the content instead of buried in a separate dialog or export step.
Raw HTML Tables
When a standard Markdown table stops being expressive enough, you can move to raw HTML without leaving the same editing flow; Alt+Shift+H keeps that escape hatch one shortcut away.
Line-Style Commands
Use Ctrl+1 for task markers, Ctrl+2 for bullet prefixes, and Ctrl+3 for enumeration styles.
In outline-heavy editing, replacing one marker family with another is faster and cleaner than rebuilding the line manually, which keeps large reorganizations fast even when a document mixes notes, tasks, and ordered procedures.
Gotchas and Warnings
- Front matter is only recognized at the very beginning of the file. If a heading, paragraph, or blank content comes first, the same YAML-looking block is no longer treated as document metadata.
- New lines inside Markdown table cells are saved as literal
<br>tags. That keeps the file portable, but it also means the source will not look like ordinary wrapped prose. - Raw HTML tables and native Markdown tables do not behave the same in the editor. Native tables get cell selection and table tools; raw HTML tables are mainly a rendering escape hatch.
- Printable export paths can hide front matter. If that metadata must appear in output, verify the export settings instead of assuming the editor view and the final document will match.
- PDF export can restyle a dark editing theme into a lighter print-friendly result. That is useful when you present in a dark workspace but still want economical, readable paper output. See the export themes guide.
Interoperability Notes
- Prefer standard Markdown forms when portability matters.
- Use admonitions and raw HTML selectively, when the document benefits from them.
- Keep relative image and link paths stable if the file will move between tools.
- For exports, verify whether front matter should remain visible or be hidden.