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Formatting Text as Code Using Markdown
Formatting Text as Code Using Markdown

Use Markdown to format text and preserve code styling in your custom assignments, descriptions, quizzes, and more.

Lea Sloan avatar
Written by Lea Sloan
Updated over a week ago

Banner: Free feature

You can format text in custom assignments as code by using the in-line Markdown formatting tags. This also works when leaving feedback or comments for students in the conversation tab.

See below for a list of these common formatting options:


Code and Syntax Highlighting

Inline code:

To apply formatting inline, you can wrap text in backticks `

  • Example input:

    • `takeBall()`

  • Code output:

    • takeBall()

Blocks of code:

If you would like to apply formatting for code blocks, you can use three backticks and indicate the language for syntax highlighting.

JavaScript:

  • Example input:

```javascript
var s = "JavaScript syntax highlighting";
alert(s);
```
  • Code output:

Image showing text with styling applied

Python:

  • Example input:

```python 
s = "Python syntax highlighting"
print s
```
  • Code output:

Image showing text with styling applied

No Language Specified:

Note--if you do not specify the language, no syntax highlighting will appear.

  • Example input:

``` 
No language indicated, so no syntax highlighting.
```
  • Code output:

No language indicated, so no syntax highlighting.

Headers

  • Example input:

# H1 example text
## H2 example text
### H3 example text
#### H4 example text
##### H5 example text
###### H6 example text
  • Code output:

    Image showing H1-H6 formatting applied to text

Alternate H1/H2 Header with Horizontal Rule

  • Example input:

Alt-H1 
======

Alt-H2
------
  • Code output:

Image showing text with styling applied

Links

  • Example input:

[Clickable text for inline-style link](https://www.codehs.com)

[Clickable text for link with a title](https://www.codehs.com "CodeHS Homepage")
  • Code output:

gif showing text with styling applied

Images

  • Example input:

![alt text](https://static.codehs.com/img/program_icons/karel.png "CodeHS Logo")
  • Code output:

Animated .gif showing the flow of editing quiz question text using markdown

Emphasis

  • How to use emphasis:

    • Italics: wrap text in *asterisks* or _underscores_

    • Bold: wrap text in double **asterisks** or __underscores__

    • Combined: wrap with: **asterisks and __underscores__**

    • Strikethrough: wrap text in two tildes: ~~example text~~

  • Example input and code output:

    Gif showing markdown in plan text and when formatting is applied

More info on Using Markdown: Markdown Guide


Still have questions? Contact our team at hello@codehs.com to learn more!

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