The Markdown Editor uses a short-hand syntax style text to create documents and then converts that text to HTML. Markdown is handy when more text and fewer multimedia files are involved in the articles.

Document360 has other editor options - The WYSIWYG editor and the Block editor.

For a list of basic Markdown commands, refer to Markdown basics


Using Markdown in your Knowledge base

  • When you create a new project, the Markdown editor is set as the project's default editor.

For more information on text editor options, refer to Text editor overview


  • When using the Markdown editor, you can use Markdown syntax manually while writing or formatting text using the Markdown toolbar.

For example, you can make a text appear as Bold by writing the respective syntax or using the Bold icon in the Markdown toolbar.


  • If you need a quick syntax reference while writing an article, you can view common Markdown commands right in the editor by clicking Shortcut on the bottom left of the screen.

  • When you write a syntax, ensure that the reference matches the required character arrangement.

For example, In Bold syntax, no space should be present at the end or beginning of the characters mentioned inside the syntax.
**Text** and not ** Text **

In Headings, a space is required between the respective syntax and characters.
### Heading3 and not ###Heading3


Markdown toolbar

Use the Markdown toolbar to format your docs without writing Markdown manually.

  • Headings
  • Basic text formatting
  • List
  • Insert
  • Callouts
  • Private notes
  • Find and replace
  • Insert LaTeX
  • Content reuse

Headings

  1. H2: Refers to Heading 2
  2. H3: Refers to Heading 3
  3. H4: Refers to Heading 4

Basic text formatting

  1. Bold: To Bold the text
  2. Italic: To Italicize the text
  3. Strikethrough: To Strikethrough the text
  4. Blockquote: To offset a quote or paragraph with a line. For example, the below sentence is in Blockquote:

This is an example of Blockquote.

List

  1. Unordered list: To make a list denoted with bullet points for each item
  2. Ordered list: To make a list denoted with numbers for each item

Insert

  1. Line: To insert a line in the article
  2. Insert Table: To add a table to the article
  3. Insert image: To insert an image from the URL, local Drive, or Document360 Drive
  4. Insert file: To insert a PDF or Word document from the Drive
  5. Insert a link: Add a hyperlink from a provided URL or a Knowledge base article to the selected text
  6. Insert Codeblock: Add a code block to your article
  7. Insert Video: To embed a video from YouTube, Wistia, or Vimeo

Callouts

  1. Info: To insert an editable blue info box. You can use this to add additional information
  2. Warning: To insert an editable yellow warning box. You can use this to add important information
  3. Error: To insert an editable red error box. You can use this to add essential information

Private notes

  1. Private notes: To insert an editable purple internal comment box that will only be visible to logged-in team members

For example, you can add internal feedback to the respective team members

Find and Replace

  1. Find and Replace: Search a text within your article and replace it with another text. You can also use this to find the article's text content occurrences. This is particularly handy in long articles

Insert LaTeX

  1. Insert LaTeX: To add expressions and equations

    • Click on Insert LaTeX option and a sample latex syntax () appears

    • Type in your desired syntax

    • The syntax must start and end with $

    Don't add a space between $ and syntax.

Content reuse

  1. Content reuse: To reuse the content across the project. Two content reuse options are available:
    a. Variable: Only text content can be added inside a variable
    b. Snippet: You can add images, tables, etc., inside a snippet

Limitation

Markdown editor does not support any third-party spellcheck tool (For example, Grammarly) while writing. Please use the WYSIWYG editor or Block editor to write with third-party spellcheck tools.


Related blogs

1. The Ins and Outs of Using Markdown for Technical Writing

2. Introductory Guide to Markdown for Documentation Writers


FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is a Markdown editor, and how does it differ from a regular text editor?

Markdown editor is a specialized text editor designed to simplify the process of writing in Markdown language—a lightweight markup language that converts plain text into HTML. Unlike regular text editors, Markdown editors provide live previews, making it easier to visualize how the content will appear once published. You can experience the full potential of the Markdown editor on Document360 using the customization solution objects help articles we offer.


What are the key features of a Markdown editor?

Markdown editor in Document360 includes real-time previews, syntax highlighting, keyboard shortcuts, drag-and-drop image support, and seamless integration with the article version control (revisions) feature.


Is a Markdown editor suitable for beginners with no syntax-based writing experience?

Absolutely! Markdown's simple syntax makes it accessible for beginners without coding experience. Its intuitive structure allows users to focus on content creation without learning complex markup languages.