Blogging basics: Getting to know ‘Markdown’

Octopress uses Markdown as the default format for creating content. po before you can get started with writing yRXU fiUVW bORJ SRVW, yRX VhRXOG VSHQG D PLQXWH JHWWLQJ comfortable with Markdown. Quoting John Gruber, the author, “Markdown is a text-to-HTML conversion tool for Web writers. Markdown allows you to write using an easyto-read, easy-to-write plain text format; then convert it to structurally valid XHTML (or HTML).”

In simple words, Markdown allows you to write formatted text without worrying about cryptic mark-up tags. The focus thus shifts entirely to the content. A complete Markdown reference can be found at http://GarinJfirHball.nHt/prRMHFts/ParNGRwn/.

Continuing with creating a new post, rake tasks help you here as well:

UaNe new_SRVt>“0y fiUVt 3RVt”]

A QHw SRVW fiOH LV FUHDWHG LQ WhH source/_posts folder; it has some YAML Front Matter (for Jekyll processing), and you can append the content of your blogpost after it: --layout: post titOe: “0y fiUVt 3RVt” date: 2012-09-02 10:07 comments: true categRUieV: >HeOOR:RUOd, %eginning ] ---

An About page is very common in all blogs. You can add it as follows:

UaNe new_Sage>AERut]

This creates a new directory About inside the source GLUHFWRUy, wLWh D fiOH QDPHG inGHx.ParNGRwn. ThLV fiOH FDQ bH edited for inserting content in the page.

To add the About link in your home page, simply append the following code snippet to source/_includes/custom/ naviJatiRn.htPl:

<li><a href=”/about”>About</a></li>

To generate and preview the blog, add the following command: rake generate rake preview

This starts a local Webrick server on your machine. Point your browser to http://localhost:4000/ for a quick preview.