What are Blockquotes?
Blockquotes are used to highlight quoted text or excerpts in your document. In Markdown, blockquotes are created using the greater-than symbol (>) at the beginning of a line. Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements like emphasis, links, and lists.
Blockquotes are commonly used for:
- Quoting text from another source
- Highlighting important information
- Creating indented sections for notes or asides
- Replying to text in emails or forum discussions
Basic Syntax
To create a blockquote in Markdown, add a > symbol before the text:
> This is a blockquote.This will render as:
This is a blockquote.
Interactive Markdown Blockquote Generator
Try It Yourself
Enter your text below and see it converted to a blockquote in Markdown.
> Type your text here and see it converted to a blockquote in Markdown.Type your text here and see it converted to a blockquote in Markdown.
Blockquote Examples
Basic Blockquote
Create a simple blockquote with the > symbol at the start of a line.
> This is a blockquote in Markdown.This is a blockquote in Markdown.
Multi-line Blockquote
For multi-line blockquotes, add > at the beginning of each line.
> This is the first line of a blockquote.
> This is the second line of the same blockquote.This is the first line of a blockquote.
This is the second line of the same blockquote.
Lazy Blockquote
You can also be 'lazy' and only add > at the beginning of the first line in a paragraph.
> This is a lazy blockquote.
This is still part of the blockquote, even without the > symbol.This is a lazy blockquote.
This is still part of the blockquote, even without the > symbol.
Nested Blockquotes
You can nest blockquotes by adding additional > symbols.
> This is a blockquote.
>
>> This is a nested blockquote inside the first one.
>
> Back to the first level.This is a blockquote.This is a nested blockquote inside the first one.
Back to the first level.
Blockquotes with Formatting
You can use other Markdown formatting inside blockquotes.
> ### Heading in a blockquote
>
> - List item in a blockquote
> - Another list item
>
> **Bold text** and *italic text* in a blockquote.
>
> `Code` in a blockquote.Heading in a blockquote
- List item in a blockquote
- Another list item
Bold text and italic text in a blockquote.
Codein a blockquote.
Blockquotes with Links
You can include links and other elements in blockquotes.
> Visit [321Markdown](https://321markdown.com) for more information.
>
> Visit 321Markdown for more information.
[Image: Image description]
Best Practices for Blockquotes
1. Add Attribution
When quoting someone else's work, it's good practice to include attribution:
> The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
>
> — Nelson MandelaThe greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
— Nelson Mandela
2. Use Blank Lines
Add blank lines (with just a > symbol) to create paragraph breaks within blockquotes:
> This is the first paragraph.
>
> This is the second paragraph.3. Combine with Other Elements
Blockquotes can contain other Markdown elements, such as headings, lists, and code blocks.
Compatibility Notes
Blockquotes are part of the original Markdown specification and are supported in all Markdown processors. However, there are some subtle differences to be aware of:
CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown
These specifications require a > symbol at the beginning of each line for proper blockquote formatting, though they also support the lazy style where only the first line needs the > symbol.
MultiMarkdown and Pandoc
These processors offer additional features for blockquotes, such as custom classes and IDs for styling purposes.
Additional Resources
Related Markdown Elements
Explore other Markdown elements that work well with blockquotes:
External Resources
Learn more about blockquotes from these resources: