Paragraphs in Markdown
Learn how to create and format paragraphs in your Markdown documents
Creating Paragraphs in Markdown
Paragraphs in Markdown are the most basic element and are created by simply typing text. While the concept is straightforward, there are some important rules to understand about how paragraphs work in Markdown. Paragraphs can contain formatting, links, and images. For more structured content, consider using lists or tables. For more complex text formatting needs, you might want to explore advanced Markdown features like HTML in Markdown.
Basic Paragraph Syntax
To create a paragraph in Markdown, simply write text on a line. To create a new paragraph, add one or more blank lines between text blocks:
This is the first paragraph.
This is the second paragraph.
This is the third paragraph.When rendered, this will appear as:
This is the first paragraph.
This is the second paragraph.
This is the third paragraph.
Important: In Markdown, a single line break is not enough to create a new paragraph. You must include at least one blank line between paragraphs.
Line Breaks in Paragraphs
Line Breaks vs. Paragraphs
Sometimes you want to add a line break within a paragraph without creating a new paragraph. There are two ways to do this:
- Add two or more spaces at the end of a line, then press Enter
- Use the HTML
<br>tag
This is a line with two spaces at the end.
This text appears on a new line but in the same paragraph.
This is a line with a break tag.<br>
This text also appears on a new line in the same paragraph.When rendered, this will appear as:
This is a line with two spaces at the end.
This text appears on a new line but in the same paragraph.
This is a line with a break tag.
This text also appears on a new line in the same paragraph.
Tip: The trailing spaces method is part of the original Markdown specification, but can be hard to see in editors. The <br> tag is more visible and works in all Markdown processors.
Paragraph Formatting
Text Formatting in Paragraphs
You can apply various formatting to text within paragraphs:
This paragraph contains **bold text**, *italic text*, and `code`. You can also include [links](https://example.com) and even ~~strikethrough~~ text.
You can combine formatting like **bold and _nested italic_** text.When rendered, this will appear as:
This paragraph contains bold text, italic text, and code. You can also include links and even strikethrough text.
You can combine formatting like bold and nested italic text.
Paragraph Indentation
Markdown doesn't have a native way to indent paragraphs, but you can use HTML or CSS for this purpose:
This is a regular paragraph.
<p style="text-indent: 2em;">This is an indented paragraph using inline CSS.</p>
<p style="margin-left: 2em;">This paragraph has a left margin.</p>When rendered, this will appear as:
This is a regular paragraph.
This is an indented paragraph using inline CSS.
This paragraph has a left margin.
Note: HTML and CSS support may vary across different Markdown processors. Some platforms may strip inline styles for security reasons.
Advanced Paragraph Techniques
Blockquotes
Blockquotes are a special type of paragraph used for quotations. They are created by adding a > character before the text:
> This is a blockquote paragraph.
> It can span multiple lines.
>
> Even multiple paragraphs if you include a > on the blank line.
> You can also have **formatting** inside blockquotes.When rendered, this will appear as:
This is a blockquote paragraph. It can span multiple lines.
Even multiple paragraphs if you include a > on the blank line.
You can also have formatting inside blockquotes.
Paragraph Alignment
Like indentation, Markdown doesn't have native syntax for text alignment. You can use HTML or CSS for this:
<p style="text-align: left;">This paragraph is left-aligned (default).</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">This paragraph is center-aligned.</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">This paragraph is right-aligned.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This paragraph is justify-aligned, which means the text is spread out to align with both the left and right margins. This is most noticeable with longer paragraphs of text.</p>When rendered, this will appear as:
This paragraph is left-aligned (default).
This paragraph is center-aligned.
This paragraph is right-aligned.
This paragraph is justify-aligned, which means the text is spread out to align with both the left and right margins. This is most noticeable with longer paragraphs of text.
Best Practices for Paragraphs
Paragraph Best Practices
- Keep paragraphs focused - Each paragraph should cover a single idea or topic for better readability.
- Use blank lines consistently - Always separate paragraphs with a blank line to ensure proper rendering across all Markdown processors.
- Avoid very long paragraphs - Break up large blocks of text into smaller, more digestible paragraphs.
- Be careful with line breaks - Remember that a single line break without trailing spaces won't create a visible break in most Markdown renderers.
- Consider readability in source - Some writers prefer to break long paragraphs into multiple lines in the source file (with single line breaks) for easier editing, while still having them render as a single paragraph.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Missing Blank Lines
This is the first paragraph. This text will not appear as a new paragraph because there's no blank line between them.Always include a blank line between paragraphs to ensure proper rendering.
Inconsistent Indentation
This is a paragraph. This line has leading spaces, but it will still be part of the same paragraph in most Markdown processors.Leading spaces won't create indentation in standard Markdown. Use HTML or CSS for indentation.
Additional Resources
Official Markdown Specifications
Learn more about Markdown paragraph syntax from the original specification and popular implementations.
Related Markdown Elements
Explore other Markdown elements that work well with paragraphs:
- Emphasis in Markdown(for formatting text within paragraphs)
- Links in Markdown(for adding hyperlinks to paragraphs)
- Lists in Markdown(for structured content between paragraphs)
- Blockquotes in Markdown(for quoted text blocks)
- Images in Markdown(for adding visuals between paragraphs)
- Advanced Markdown Features(for HTML and complex formatting)
- Markdown Editor(practice writing paragraphs)