A Simple Markdown Style Guide

Consistency is the hallmark of professional and readable documentation. When you're writing notes, especially ones that will be shared with others, adopting a simple style guide can make your content significantly easier to read, understand, and maintain. A style guide isn't about rigid, restrictive rules; it's about making conscious choices to create a consistent experience for your readers. By adopting a few simple standards, you can ensure your Markdown notes are always clear and effective.

Why a Style Guide Matters

A consistent style reduces cognitive load on the reader. When headings, lists, and code blocks always look and feel the same, the reader can focus on the content itself, not on deciphering the structure. This is especially critical in technical documentation or collaborative notes where clarity is paramount.

Headings: The Backbone of Your Document

Headings provide the primary structure for your note. Using them correctly is crucial for readability and accessibility.

  • Use a Single H1: A document should only have one main title, created with a single hash (`#`). This should be the very first thing in your note.
  • Start Sections with H2: All major sections of your document should begin with a level-two heading (`##`).
  • Don't Skip Levels: Maintain a logical hierarchy. Never jump from an `H2` directly to an `H4`. If you need a sub-section within an `H2`, use an `H3` (`###`). This is vital for screen readers and automated document parsers.

Lists: For Clarity and Scannability

Lists are perfect for breaking down complex information into digestible points.

  • Choose One Bullet Style: For unordered lists, Markdown allows you to use dashes (`-`), asterisks (`*`), or plus signs (`+`). Pick one (dashes are a common and clean choice) and stick with it throughout your document for a consistent look.
  • Use Ordered Lists for Steps: If the order of items matters, such as in a tutorial or a checklist of sequential tasks, always use a numbered list.
  • Keep List Items Parallel: Try to start each item in a list with the same part of speech (e.g., all verbs) and keep the phrasing consistent. This makes the list much easier to scan.

Code: For Readability and Safety

Properly formatted code is essential in any technical note.

  • Use Inline Code for Identifiers: Use single backticks (`) to wrap variable names, function names, filenames (`script.js`), and terminal commands (`npm install`). This visually separates them from the surrounding text.
  • Always Add Language Tags: As mentioned in our other guides, always add a language identifier to your fenced code blocks (e.g., ```python) to enable syntax highlighting.
  • Keep Lines to a Reasonable Length: For readability, try to keep lines of code under 80 characters. While not a strict rule, it prevents horizontal scrolling, which is particularly disruptive on mobile devices.

Links: For Context and Trust

Links should be clear and descriptive, never ambiguous.

  • Use Descriptive Text: The link's text should describe its destination. Avoid generic phrases like "click here." Instead of `Click here for the docs`, use `Read the [official documentation](...)`.
  • Consider Reference-Style Links: For notes with many links, you can use reference-style links to keep the main body of text clean. This involves defining the URL at the bottom of your document. 
This is a link to [the Flingnote blog][1].

[1]: [https://flingnote.click/blog/](https://flingnote.click/blog/)

Conclusion: Small Standards, Big Dividends

You don't need a hundred-page manual to write better Markdown. By adopting just a few of these simple rules, you can dramatically improve the quality and consistency of your notes. These small standards pay big dividends over time, making your content more valuable for both your future self and anyone you share it with.

Back to Blog