---
title: "Markdown in 5 minutes"
description: "Just enough markdown to write Obsidian notes that look good."
source: "Obsidian Academy"
source_url: https://obsidian-academy.pages.dev/basics/02-markdown-essentials/
saved: 2026-05-16
tags: [obsidian-academy, saved-from-web, basics]
---

Markdown is plain text with light formatting symbols. Obsidian renders them visually. Here's everything you actually need.

## Headings

```md
# H1 — page title
## H2 — section
### H3 — subsection
```

Rule of thumb: one `# H1` per note (it's the title), then `## H2` for major sections, `### H3` for subsections. Don't go deeper than H3 in daily writing.

## Emphasis

```md
*italic* or _italic_
**bold** or __bold__
***bold italic***
~~strikethrough~~
```

## Lists

```md
- bullet
- bullet
  - nested bullet
- bullet

1. numbered
2. numbered
3. numbered
```

## Tasks

```md
- [ ] thing to do
- [x] thing done
- [-] thing cancelled (Obsidian-specific)
- [>] thing forwarded
```

Tasks render with clickable checkboxes in Obsidian. The skills on this site count `- [x]` patterns to track completion.

## Links and images

```md
[link text](https://example.com)
![alt text](path/to/image.png)
```

For images stored in your vault:

```md
![[my-image.png]]
```

The double-bracket syntax is **Obsidian-specific** and works for both files and other notes (next page).

## Code

Inline: `` `code` ``

Block:

````md
```bash
gemini extensions list
```
````

The language hint (`bash`, `python`, `js`) gives you syntax highlighting.

## Quotes

```md
> A blockquote.
> Continues on a new line.

> **Note:** quote with bold callout
```

## Tables

```md
| col 1 | col 2 |
|-------|-------|
| a     | b     |
| c     | d     |
```

Useful but verbose. Don't bother for casual notes.

## Horizontal rule

```md
---
```

A horizontal line. Great for breaking up long notes.

## Frontmatter (YAML at the top)

```md
---
title: My note
tags: [draft, project-x]
date: 2026-05-15
status: active
---

# My note

Content starts here.
```

Frontmatter is metadata. Obsidian plugins (especially Dataview) can query it. The skills on this site use it heavily — e.g., the Visual Journal reads `mood:` and `event:` from your daily note frontmatter.

## What to skip

- HTML inside markdown (works but ugly)
- Markdown extensions you don't recognize (footnotes, definition lists, etc. — niche)
- Trying to remember every detail. You'll absorb it by writing.

## Next

[Links and backlinks](/basics/03-links-and-backlinks/) — the feature that makes Obsidian *Obsidian*.