Markdown & README

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Markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language for creating formatted text using a plain-text editor. It was created by John Gruber in 2004 with the goal of being readable as-is, even without rendering.

Markdown is used everywhere in software development: README files, documentation, GitHub issues/PRs, wikis, blogs, and note-taking apps.

Why Markdown?

Simple: Easy to learn — you can pick up the basics in minutes.
Portable: Plain text files work on every OS and tool.
Universal: Supported by GitHub, GitLab, VS Code, Notion, Obsidian, Slack, Discord, and many more.
Convertible: Can be converted to HTML, PDF, slides, and other formats.

Basic Syntax

Headings

# Heading 1

## Heading 2

### Heading 3

#### Heading 4

Text Formatting

**bold text**
_italic text_
~~strikethrough~~
`inline code`

bold text, italic text, ~~strikethrough~~, inline code

Links and Images

[Link text](https://example.com)
![Alt text](image.png)

Lists

- Unordered item 1
- Unordered item 2
  - Nested item

1. Ordered item 1
2. Ordered item 2

Blockquotes

> This is a blockquote.
> It can span multiple lines.

This is a blockquote.

Code Blocks

Use triple backticks with an optional language identifier for syntax highlighting:

```javascript
function greet(name) {
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}
```

Tables

| Name  | Role      |
| :---- | :-------- |
| Alice | Developer |
| Bob   | Designer  |

Name	Role
Alice	Developer
Bob	Designer

Horizontal Rule

---

Task Lists (GitHub Flavored)

- [x] Setup project
- [x] Create database schema
- [ ] Build API endpoints
- [ ] Write tests

Setup project
Create database schema
Build API endpoints
Write tests

Markdown Flavors

The original Markdown spec was intentionally minimal. Various platforms have extended it:

Flavor	Used By	Extras
CommonMark	Standard reference	Unambiguous spec for core syntax.
GFM (GitHub Flavored Markdown)	GitHub, many tools	Tables, task lists, strikethrough, autolinks.
MDX	React, Astro, Next.js	Embed JSX components inside Markdown.

README

A README.md file is the front page of your project. It’s the first thing people see when they visit your repository on GitHub. A good README makes the difference between a project people use and one they skip.

Why Write a README?

First Impression: It’s the entry point for anyone discovering your project.
Documentation: Explains what the project does, how to set it up, and how to use it.
Onboarding: Helps new team members get started quickly.
Professionalism: Shows that you care about your work.

README Template

A solid README typically includes these sections:

# Project Name

A brief description of what this project does and who it's for.

## Features

- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

## Tech Stack

- **Frontend**: React, Tailwind CSS
- **Backend**: Node.js, Express
- **Database**: PostgreSQL

## Getting Started

### Prerequisites

- Node.js 20+
- PostgreSQL 16+

### Installation

1. Clone the repo:
   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/username/project.git
   cd project
   ```

Install dependencies:
Terminal window
```
npm install
```

Set up environment variables:

cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your values

Start the development server:
Terminal window
```
npm run dev
```

Usage

Describe how to use the project or link to documentation.

Contributing

Fork the repo
Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing)
Open a Pull Request

License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.

### Tips for a Great README

- **Be concise**: Get to the point quickly. People scan, not read.
- **Add screenshots or GIFs**: A visual is worth a thousand words for UI projects.
- **Keep it updated**: An outdated README is worse than no README.
- **Include badges**: Show build status, test coverage, or version at the top.
- **Link to docs**: If your project has extensive documentation, link to it rather than putting everything in the README.

### README Badges

Badges are small status indicators commonly placed at the top of a README:

```markdown
![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/user/repo/ci.yml)
![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/user/repo)
![Version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/package-name)

Generate badges at shields.io.

Helpful Tools

Tool	Description
readme.so	Visual README editor with drag-and-drop sections.
Markdown Guide	Comprehensive reference for Markdown syntax.
Dillinger	Online Markdown editor with live preview.
VS Code built-in preview	Open any `.md` file and press `Ctrl+Shift+V` (or `Cmd+Shift+V`).

References

Built with passion by Ngineer Lab