2024-04-15
Creating tables in Markdown is a straightforward process that enhances the organization and presentation of data on the web. This guide covers everything you need to know, from basic syntax to advanced formatting options:
Markdown Toolbox
| and dashes - to create simple tables.:.& and | using HTML entities or backslashes.By the end of this guide, you'll be equipped to create clear, informative tables in Markdown, making your content more structured and accessible.
You can decide how to align your text in columns by tweaking the dashes - row:
:---: = Text lines up to the left:--: = Text is centered---: = Text lines up to the right| Left | Center | Right |
| :--- | :----: | ----: |
| Text | Text | Text |
For example:
| Left | Center | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Text | Text |
You can make text bold, italic, add links, or even code inside table cells using regular Markdown tricks:
** or __* or _Inline code blocksFor example:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| John | Teacher who enjoys learning new things |
| Sarah | Engineer working on cool projects |
This shows the basics of making tables in Markdown. With a little practice, they can be a great way to organize data clearly for web pages or documents.
When you're making tables in Markdown, sometimes you'll want to include special characters that the Markdown format usually uses for other things. For instance, since Markdown uses pipes | to separate columns, if you want to show a pipe symbol inside a cell, you have to work around it.
There are a couple of ways to do this:
One way is to use HTML character entities. These are special codes that let you show characters that have other meanings in HTML or Markdown. For example, & for an ampersand &, and | for a pipe |.
Here's how it looks:
| Character | Entity | Example Rendering |
|---|---|---|
| Ampersand | & |
R&D |
| Pipe | | |
Column|Header |
You can find a full list of HTML character entities here.
Another way is by putting a backslash \ before the special character. This tells Markdown to treat the following character just like any other text.
\| = shows a pipe |
\\ = shows a backslash \
But remember, using a backslash doesn't work for every character in Markdown tables, like the pipe |.
Lastly, you can use Markdown code blocks to show special characters exactly as they are. Just put them in backticks `.
` | * | & | \ | | `` ``
This will look like:
| * | & | \ | ` |
|---|---|---|---|
| * | & | \ | ` |
In short, use HTML entities or backslashes when you can to escape special characters. For pipes and other tricky symbols, code blocks are a good way to show them just as they are.
Markdown comes in different styles, each with its own way of handling tables. Let's look at these styles and some tips for making great tables:
GFM is what you see on GitHub. It lets you make tables easily:
| Header 1 | Header 2 |
|----------|----------|
| Row 1a | Row 1b |
| Row 2a | Row 2b |
You don't have to put pipes | at the end of each line, but it's a good idea to avoid mistakes.
These versions add more options for tables, like aligning text:
| Right | Left | Default | Center |
|------:|:-----|---------|:-----:|
| 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| 123 | 123 | 123 | 123 |
Use a colon : to control text alignment.
CommonMark doesn't have its own table syntax. You need to use HTML tags to make tables.
In GFM and similar, you don't always need the side pipes |:
Header 1 | Header 2
--------- | ---------
Row 1a | Row 1b
Row 2a | Row 2b
Leaving them out can make editing easier, but having them helps avoid errors.
Try to match column widths to make your table look neater:
| Short | Longer Example Column |
|-------|-----------------------|
| Text | More example text |
This makes your table easier to read.
Making tables from scratch can be tough. Here are some tools to help:
The Markdown Table Generator lets you make tables without coding. Just fill in your info and it gives you the code.
Table Convert turns data from spreadsheets into Markdown tables quickly.
The Typora Markdown editor has a simple way to add and style tables.
Some apps make it easy to work with Markdown tables:
Typora has a simple menu for adding and changing tables.
Zettlr lets you insert a basic table then edit it directly.
Knowing these tips and tools can make working with Markdown tables a lot smoother. Remember, the goal is to make information clear and easy to read.
Let's get some hands-on practice with making tables using Markdown. Here are a few easy exercises to help you get the hang of it:
First, let's make a simple table that lists different fruits:
| Fruit | Color | Shape |
| Fruit | Color | Shape |
| - | - | - |
| Fruit | Color | Shape |
| - | - | - |
| Apple | Red | Round |
| Fruit | Color | Shape |
| - | - | - |
| Apple | Red | Round |
| Banana | Yellow | Long |
| Orange | Orange | Round |
Next, let's add some style to our fruit table:
** around them:| **Fruit** | **Color** | **Shape** |
| - | - | - |
| Banana | *Yellow* | Long |
| Orange | [Orange](https://www.w3schools.com/colors/colors_names.asp) | Round |
For a bit more of a challenge, let's make a table with more details:
| **Name** | **Position** | **Salary** |
| - | - | - |
| **Name** | **Position** | **Salary** |
| - | - | - |
| John | Manager | $80,000 |
| Sarah | Developer | $60,000 |
| Lisa | Designer | $50,000 |
| **Name** | **Position** | **Salary** |
| - | - | ---: |
Practicing with these steps is a great way to become more familiar with making Markdown tables. Try creating different types of tables and playing around with the formatting to see what you can do.
Editing tables in Markdown can be a bit of a hassle, but knowing some keyboard shortcuts can make it a lot easier. Here's a list of shortcuts that can help you work faster:
Tab - Jump to the next cellShift + Tab - Go back to the previous cellEnter - Move down to the next rowCtrl/Cmd + Enter - Stop editing the tableCtrl/Cmd + Arrow Keys - Move around the cells easilyCtrl/Cmd + l - Make text align to the leftCtrl/Cmd + e - Center the textCtrl/Cmd + r - Align text to the rightCtrl/Cmd + . - Remove any specific alignmentAlt + i - Add a new row aboveAlt + a - Add a new row belowAlt + j - Add a column to the leftAlt + l - Add a column to the rightAlt + Shift + i - Remove the current rowAlt + Shift + a - Remove the current rowAlt + Shift + j - Remove the current columnAlt + Shift + l - Remove the current columnShift + Arrow Keys - Select more cellsCtrl/Cmd + Alt + Arrow Keys - Move the whole row or columnBy getting familiar with these shortcuts, you can speed up your work with tables in Markdown. Keep this guide handy for quick reference.
Making tables with Markdown lets you organize info neatly for websites. It's pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. Here’s what to keep in mind:
| symbol. Put dashes - under the header row to show how the text should line up.: next to the dashes under the column you want to adjust.Just keep practicing, and soon making Markdown tables will feel like a breeze. Remember to keep your tables simple and clear. The main goal is to share info in a way that’s easy for everyone to understand. Markdown tables are great for this because they let you arrange data in a tidy and straightforward way.
To create tables in Markdown, use the pipe | symbol to make columns, dashes - to line up the text under the headers, and colons : to align text to the left, center, or right. Start with headers in the first row, dashes in the second to define columns, and then add your information below. Keep everything tidy for easier reading. Some Markdown editors can help you format the table more easily.
To align text in a table:
:---:---:---:Just change the dashes under the column you want to align in the second row.
Many Markdown editors, like Typora or Zettlr, have shortcuts to quickly insert a blank table structure. For instance, in Typora on Windows, pressing Ctrl + T will put a blank table into your document. Check your editor's guide for specific shortcuts.
To indent a code block, add an empty line before and after your code, and indent each line of the code with at least 4 spaces or 1 tab. This tells Markdown to format it in a special way, usually with a different font to stand out as code.