Syntax guidance for basic Markdown usage

TFS 2017 | TFS 2015

Here you can find some basic Markdown syntax guidance and specific guidance for using Markdown in Azure DevOps features. You can use both common Markdown conventions and GitHub-flavored extensions.

Having the right guidance at the right time is critical to success. Use Markdown to add rich formatting, tables, and images to your project pages, README files, dashboards, and pull request comments.

For more syntax that's supported for Wiki pages, see Wiki Markdown guidance.

You can provide guidance in the following areas using Markdown:

• Markdown widget added to a dashboard
• Project page or Welcome pages
• Repository README files
• Definition of Done (Kanban board)

Headers

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

Structure your comments using headers. Headers segment longer comments, making them easier to read.

Start a line with a hash character # to set a heading. Organize your remarks with subheadings by starting a line with more hash characters, for example ####. Up to six levels of headings are supported.

Example:

# This is a H1 header
## This is a H2 header
### This is a H3 header
#### This is a H4 header
##### This is a H5 header

Result:

Paragraphs and line breaks

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

Make your text easier to read by breaking it into paragraphs or with line breaks.

Markdown files or widgets

In a Markdown file or widget, enter two spaces before the line break, and then select Enter. This action begins a new paragraph.

Example - Markdown file or widget:

Add two spaces before the end of the line, and then select **Enter**.(space, space, Enter)
A space gets added in between paragraphs.

Result:

Add two spaces before the end of the line, and then select Enter.

A space gets added in between paragraphs.

Blockquotes

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

Quote previous comments or text to set the context for your comment or text.

Quote single lines of text with > before the text. Use many > characters to nest quoted text. Quote blocks of lines of text by using the same level of > across many lines.

Example:

> Single line quote
>> Nested quote
>> multiple line
>> quote

Result:

Horizontal rules

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

To add a horizontal rule, add a line that's a series of dashes ---. The line above the line containing the --- must be blank.

Example:

above
 
----
below

Result:

above

below

Emphasis (bold, italics, strikethrough)

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

You can emphasize text by applying bold, italics, or strikethrough to characters:

• To apply italics: surround the text with an asterisk * or underscore _
• To apply bold: surround the text with double asterisks **.
• To apply strikethrough: surround the text with double tilde characters ~~.

Combine these elements to apply emphasis to text.

Example:

Use _emphasis_ in comments to express **strong** opinions and point out ~~corrections~~  
**_Bold, italicized text_**  
**~~Bold, strike-through text~~**

Result:

Use emphasis in comments to express strong opinions and point out corrections
Bold, italicized text Bold, strike-through text

Tables

Supported in: Markdown widget | README files

Organize structured data with tables. Tables are especially useful for describing function parameters, object methods, and other data that have a clear name to description mapping. You can format tables in pull requests, wiki, and Markdown files such as README files and Markdown widgets.

• Place each table row on its own line
• Separate table cells using the pipe character |
• The first two lines of a table set the column headers and the alignment of elements in the table
• Use colons (:) when dividing the header and body of tables to specify column alignment (left, center, right)
• To start a new line, use the HTML break tag (<br/>) (Works within a Wiki but not elsewhere)
• Make sure to end each row with a CR or LF.
• A blank space is required before and after work item or pull request (PR) mentions inside a table cell.

Example:

| Heading 1 | Heading 2 | Heading 3 |  
|-----------|:-----------:|-----------:|  
| Cell A1 | Cell A2 | Cell A3 |  
| Cell B1 | Cell B2 | Cell B3<br/>second line of text |  

Result:

Lists

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

Organize related items with lists. You can add ordered lists with numbers, or unordered lists with just bullets.

Ordered lists start with a number followed by a period for each list item. Unordered lists start with a -. Begin each list item on a new line. In a Markdown file or widget, enter two spaces before the line break to begin a new paragraph, or enter two line breaks consecutively to begin a new paragraph.

Ordered or numbered lists

Example:

1. First item.
1. Second item.
1. Third item.

Result:

1. First item.
2. Second item.
3. Third item.

Bulleted lists

Example:

- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3

Result:

• Item 1
• Item 2
• Item 3

Nested lists

Example:

1. First item.
   - Item 1
   - Item 2
   - Item 3
1. Second item.
   - Nested item 1
      - Further nested item 1
      - Further nested item 2
      - Further nested item 3
   - Nested item 2
   - Nested item 3

Result:

1. First item.
   • Item 1
   • Item 2
   • Item 3
2. Second item.
   • Nested item 1
     • Further nested item 1
     • Further nested item 2
     • Further nested item 3
   • Nested item 2
   • Nested item 3

Links

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

In pull request comments and wikis, HTTP and HTTPS URLs are automatically formatted as links. You can link to work items by entering the # key and a work item ID, and then choosing the work item from the list.

Avoid auto suggestions for work items by prefixing # with a backslash (\). This action can be useful if you want to use # for color hex codes.

In Markdown files and widgets, you can set text hyperlinks for your URL using the standard Markdown link syntax:

[Link Text](Link URL)

When you're linking to another Markdown page in the same Git or TFVC repository, the link target can be a relative path or an absolute path in the repository.

Supported links for Welcome pages:

• Relative path: [text to display](target.md)
• Absolute path in Git: [text to display](/folder/target.md)
• Absolute path in TFVC: [text to display]($/project/folder/target.md)
• URL: [text to display](http://address.com)

Supported links for Markdown widget:

• URL: [text to display](http://address.com)

Supported links for Wiki:

• Absolute path of Wiki pages: [text to display](/parent-page/child-page)
• URL: [text to display](http://address.com)

Example:

[C# language reference](/dotnet/csharp/language-reference/)

Result:

C# language reference

Ignore or escape Markdown syntax to enter specific or literal characters

Supported in: Definition of Done | Markdown widget | README files

Related articles

• Project page or Welcome pages
• README files
• Markdown widget
• Dashboards
• Widget catalog
• Add and edit Wiki pages