Bold text can be created by surrounding text with either double asterisks or double underscores:

**Bolded text**

__Also bolded text__

Result:

Bolded text

Also bolded text

Italics can be created by surrounding text with either asterisks or with underscores:

*Italicized text*

_Also italicized_

Result:

Italicized text

Also italicized

To create strike-through text, surround the text with ~~double tildes~~.

Note: on StackExchange this formatting isn't included. Instead use the html tag <s>text</s>. (In chat you can use ---three hyphens---.)

Creating ***bold italic*** text is simply a matter of using both
**bold** (two asterisks) and *italic* (one asterisk) at the same time,
for a total of three asterisks on either side of the text you want to format at once.

Creating bold italic text is simply a matter of using both bold (two asterisks) and italic (one asterisk) at the same time, for a total of three asterisks on either side of the text you want to format at once.

You can create a horizontal break to divide your text by placing three (or more) underscores 

___

or asterisks 

***

or hyphens

---

on their own line.

You can create a horizontal break to divide your text by placing three (or more) underscores

---

or asterisks

---

or hyphens

---

on their own line.

---

There can be spaces between the characters, and a horizontal rule can be immediately followed by another one:

_ _ _
* * * *
and the spaces don't have to be evenly distributed
*  ****

---

---

and the spaces don't have to be evenly distributed

---

Some HTML tags can also be used in Markdown.

• <b>bold</b> bold
• <i>italic</i> italic
• <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/">link</a> link
• <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> Ctrl

Named anchors can also be used to allow easier navigation within the document. Note that Stack Overflow Markdown doesn't seem to support this.

<a name="heading"></a>
# Heading 1
Text under the heading
Click on a link like [Go to Heading 1](#heading1) to go to that named anchor.

Heading 1

Text under the heading Click on a link like Go to Heading 1 to go to that named anchor.

x<sub>2</sub> produces x₂

x<sup>2</sup> produces x²

End a line with two or more spaces to create a line break.

Ending a line with no spaces
or with just one space 
doesn't create a line beak.  
Use two or more spaces   
to create a line break.

Use an empty line to make a new paragraph.

Ending a line with no spaces or with just one space doesn't create a line beak.
Use two or more spaces
to create a line break.

Use an empty line to make a new paragraph.