For GitLab we developed something we call "GitLab Flavored Markdown" (GFM). It extends the standard Markdown in a few significant ways to add some useful functionality.
You can also use other rich text files in GitLab. You might have to install a dependency to do so. Please see the [github-markup gem readme](https://github.com/gitlabhq/markup#markups) for more information.
It is not reasonable to italicize just _part_ of a word, especially when you're dealing with code and names that often appear with multiple underscores. Therefore, GFM ignores multiple underscores in words.
GFM will autolink standard URLs you copy and paste into your text. So if you want to link to a URL (instead of a textural link), you can simply put the URL in verbatim and it will be turned into a link to that URL.
http://www.google.com
http://www.google.com
## Code and Syntax Highlighting
Blocks of code are either fenced by lines with three back-ticks <code>```</code>, or are indented with four spaces. Only the fenced code blocks support syntax highlighting.
```no-highlight
Inline `code` has `back-ticks around` it.
```
Inline `code` has `back-ticks around` it.
Example:
```javascript
var s = "JavaScript syntax highlighting";
alert(s);
```
```python
def function():
#indenting works just fine in the fenced code block
s = "Python syntax highlighting"
print s
```
```ruby
require 'redcarpet'
markdown = Redcarpet.new("Hello World!")
puts markdown.to_html
```
```
No language indicated, so no syntax highlighting.
s = "There is no highlighting for this."
But let's throw in a <b>tag</b>.
```
becomes:
```javascript
var s = "JavaScript syntax highlighting";
alert(s);
```
```python
def function():
#indenting works just fine in the fenced code block
You can use it to point out a :bug: or warn about :speak_no_evil: patches. And if someone improves your really :snail: code, send them some :birthday:. People will :heart: you for that.
You can use it to point out a :bug: or warn about :speak_no_evil: patches. And if someone improves your really :snail: code, send them some :birthday:. People will :heart: you for that.
GFM also recognizes references to commits, issues, and merge requests in other projects:
- namespace/project#123 : for issues
- namespace/project!123 : for merge requests
- namespace/project@1234567 : for commits
## Task Lists
You can add task lists to merge request and issue descriptions to keep track of to-do items. To create a task, add an unordered list to the description in an issue or merge request, formatted like so:
```no-highlight
* [x] Completed task
* [ ] Unfinished task
* [x] Nested task
```
Task lists can only be created in descriptions, not in titles or comments. Task item state can be managed by editing the description's Markdown or by clicking the rendered checkboxes.
Relative links do not allow referencing project files in a wiki page or wiki page in a project file. The reason for this is that, in GitLab, wiki is always a separate git repository. For example:
`[I'm a reference-style link][style]`
will point the link to `wikis/style` when the link is inside of a wiki markdown file.
## Images
Here's our logo (hover to see the title text):
Inline-style:
Reference-style:
![alt text1][logo]
[logo]: assets/logo-white.png
Here's our logo:
Inline-style:
Reference-style:
![alt text][logo]
[logo]: /assets/logo-white.png
## Blockquotes
```no-highlight
> Blockquotes are very handy in email to emulate reply text.
> This line is part of the same quote.
Quote break.
> This is a very long line that will still be quoted properly when it wraps. Oh boy let's keep writing to make sure this is long enough to actually wrap for everyone. Oh, you can *put* **Markdown** into a blockquote.
```
> Blockquotes are very handy in email to emulate reply text.
> This line is part of the same quote.
Quote break.
> This is a very long line that will still be quoted properly when it wraps. Oh boy let's keep writing to make sure this is long enough to actually wrap for everyone. Oh, you can *put* **Markdown** into a blockquote.
## Inline HTML
You can also use raw HTML in your Markdown, and it'll mostly work pretty well.
See the documentation for HTML::Pipeline's [SanitizationFilter](http://www.rubydoc.info/gems/html-pipeline/HTML/Pipeline/SanitizationFilter#WHITELIST-constant) class for the list of allowed HTML tags and attributes. In addition to the default `SanitizationFilter` whitelist, GitLab allows the `class`, `id`, and `style` attributes.
<dd>Does *not* work **very** well. Use HTML <em>tags</em>.</dd>
</dl>
```
<dl>
<dt>Definition list</dt>
<dd>Is something people use sometimes.</dd>
<dt>Markdown in HTML</dt>
<dd>Does *not* work **very** well. Use HTML <em>tags</em>.</dd>
</dl>
## Horizontal Rule
```
Three or more...
---
Hyphens
***
Asterisks
___
Underscores
```
Three or more...
---
Hyphens
***
Asterisks
___
Underscores
## Line Breaks
My basic recommendation for learning how line breaks work is to experiment and discover -- hit <Enter> once (i.e., insert one newline), then hit it twice (i.e., insert two newlines), see what happens. You'll soon learn to get what you want. "Markdown Toggle" is your friend.
Here are some things to try out:
```
Here's a line for us to start with.
This line is separated from the one above by two newlines, so it will be a *separate paragraph*.
This line is also a separate paragraph, but...
This line is only separated by a single newline, so it's a separate line in the *same paragraph*.
- This document leveraged heavily from the [Markdown-Cheatsheet](https://github.com/adam-p/markdown-here/wiki/Markdown-Cheatsheet).
- The [Markdown Syntax Guide](http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax) at Daring Fireball is an excellent resource for a detailed explanation of standard markdown.
- [Dillinger.io](http://dillinger.io) is a handy tool for testing standard markdown.
