All about MD files

Markdown is a lightweight text format developed by John Gruber in 2004. The idea: to write texts that are easy to read even without rendering (i.e. directly in the text editor), but can still be converted to HTML, PDF or other formats. Instead of complicated menus or hidden formatting, Markdown uses simple characters:
# for headings, ** for bold text, – for lists. This makes it quick to learn and universally applicable.

Where is Markdown used?

GitHub, GitLab & Co.: README files, documentation and issues are almost exclusively written in Markdown.
Note-taking apps: Obsidian, Notion, Bear, Typora and many others rely on Markdown as their basis.
Blogs & websites: Static page generators such as Hugo, Jekyll or Astro use Markdown for content.
Technical documentation: From API docs to internal wikis – Markdown is the standard.

Advantages of Markdown

Readable without tools: An .MD file is understandable even in its RAW form in a text editor.
Platform-independent: Works everywhere – Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile.
Versionable: Perfect for Git, as it is plain text.
Future-proof: No proprietary format, no dependence on software manufacturers.