MD009 - Trailing spaces

Tags: whitespace

Aliases: no-trailing-spaces

Parameters: br_spaces (number; default: 0)

This rule is triggered on any lines that end with whitespace. To fix this, find the line that is triggered and remove any trailing spaces from the end.

The brspaces parameter allows an exception to this rule for a specific amount of trailing spaces used to insert an explicit line break/br element. For example, set brspaces to 2 to allow exactly 2 spaces at the end of a line.

Note: you have to set brspaces to 2 or higher for this exception to take effect - you can't insert a br element with just a single trailing space, so if you set brspaces to 1, the exception will be disabled, just as if it was set to the default of 0.

MD002 - First header should be a top level header

Tags: headers

Aliases: first-header-h1

Parameters: level (number; default 1)

This rule is triggered when the first header in the document isn't a h1 header:

## This isn't a H1 header

### Another header

The first header in the document should be a h1 header:

# Start with a H1 header

## Then use a H2 for subsections

MD012 - Multiple consecutive blank lines

Tags: whitespace, blank_lines

Aliases: no-multiple-blanks

This rule is triggered when there are multiple consecutive blank lines in the document:

Some text here


Some more text here

To fix this, delete the offending lines:

Some text here

Some more text here

Note: this rule will not be triggered if there are multiple consecutive blank lines inside code blocks.

MD022 - Headers should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: headers, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-headers

This rule is triggered when headers (any style) are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

# Header 1
Some text

Some more text
## Header 2

To fix this, ensure that all headers have a blank line both before and after (except where the header is at the beginning or end of the document):

# Header 1

Some text

Some more text

## Header 2

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse headers that don't have a blank line before, and will parse them as regular text.

MD032 - Lists should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: bullet, ul, ol, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-lists

This rule is triggered when lists (of any kind) are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

Some text
* Some
* List

1. Some
2. List
Some text

To fix this, ensure that all lists have a blank line both before and after (except where the block is at the beginning or end of the document):

Some text

* Some
* List

1. Some
2. List

Some text

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse lists that don't have blank lines before and after them.

Note: List items without hanging indents are a violation of this rule; list items with hanging indents are okay:

* This is
not okay

* This is
  okay

MD031 - Fenced code blocks should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: code, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-fences

This rule is triggered when fenced code blocks are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

Some text
```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```
Some more text

To fix this, ensure that all fenced code blocks have a blank line both before and after (except where the block is at the beginning or end of the document):

Some text

```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```

Some more text

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse fenced code blocks that don't have blank lines before and after them.

MD033 - Inline HTML

Tags: html

Aliases: no-inline-html

This rule is triggered whenever raw HTML is used in a markdown document:

Inline HTML header

To fix this, use 'pure' markdown instead of including raw HTML:

# Markdown header

Rationale: Raw HTML is allowed in markdown, but this rule is included for those who want their documents to only include "pure" markdown, or for those who are rendering markdown documents in something other than HTML.

MD031 - Fenced code blocks should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: code, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-fences

This rule is triggered when fenced code blocks are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

Some text
```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```
Some more text

To fix this, ensure that all fenced code blocks have a blank line both before and after (except where the block is at the beginning or end of the document):

Some text

```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```

Some more text

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse fenced code blocks that don't have blank lines before and after them.

MD005 - Inconsistent indentation for list items at the same level

Tags: bullet, ul, indentation

Aliases: list-indent

This rule is triggered when list items are parsed as being at the same level, but don't have the same indentation:

* Item 1
    * Nested Item 1
    * Nested Item 2
   * A misaligned item

Usually this rule will be triggered because of a typo. Correct the indentation for the list to fix it:

* Item 1
  * Nested Item 1
  * Nested Item 2
  * Nested Item 3

MD032 - Lists should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: bullet, ul, ol, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-lists

This rule is triggered when lists (of any kind) are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

Some text
* Some
* List

1. Some
2. List
Some text

To fix this, ensure that all lists have a blank line both before and after (except where the block is at the beginning or end of the document):

Some text

* Some
* List

1. Some
2. List

Some text

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse lists that don't have blank lines before and after them.

Note: List items without hanging indents are a violation of this rule; list items with hanging indents are okay:

* This is
not okay

* This is
  okay

MD005 - Inconsistent indentation for list items at the same level

Tags: bullet, ul, indentation

Aliases: list-indent

This rule is triggered when list items are parsed as being at the same level, but don't have the same indentation:

* Item 1
    * Nested Item 1
    * Nested Item 2
   * A misaligned item

Usually this rule will be triggered because of a typo. Correct the indentation for the list to fix it:

* Item 1
  * Nested Item 1
  * Nested Item 2
  * Nested Item 3

MD005 - Inconsistent indentation for list items at the same level

Tags: bullet, ul, indentation

Aliases: list-indent

This rule is triggered when list items are parsed as being at the same level, but don't have the same indentation:

* Item 1
    * Nested Item 1
    * Nested Item 2
   * A misaligned item

Usually this rule will be triggered because of a typo. Correct the indentation for the list to fix it:

* Item 1
  * Nested Item 1
  * Nested Item 2
  * Nested Item 3

MD032 - Lists should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: bullet, ul, ol, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-lists

This rule is triggered when lists (of any kind) are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

Some text
* Some
* List

1. Some
2. List
Some text

To fix this, ensure that all lists have a blank line both before and after (except where the block is at the beginning or end of the document):

Some text

* Some
* List

1. Some
2. List

Some text

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse lists that don't have blank lines before and after them.

Note: List items without hanging indents are a violation of this rule; list items with hanging indents are okay:

* This is
not okay

* This is
  okay

MD005 - Inconsistent indentation for list items at the same level

Tags: bullet, ul, indentation

Aliases: list-indent

This rule is triggered when list items are parsed as being at the same level, but don't have the same indentation:

* Item 1
    * Nested Item 1
    * Nested Item 2
   * A misaligned item

Usually this rule will be triggered because of a typo. Correct the indentation for the list to fix it:

* Item 1
  * Nested Item 1
  * Nested Item 2
  * Nested Item 3

MD031 - Fenced code blocks should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: code, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-fences

This rule is triggered when fenced code blocks are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

Some text
```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```
Some more text

To fix this, ensure that all fenced code blocks have a blank line both before and after (except where the block is at the beginning or end of the document):

Some text

```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```

Some more text

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse fenced code blocks that don't have blank lines before and after them.

MD009 - Trailing spaces

Tags: whitespace

Aliases: no-trailing-spaces

Parameters: br_spaces (number; default: 0)

This rule is triggered on any lines that end with whitespace. To fix this, find the line that is triggered and remove any trailing spaces from the end.

The brspaces parameter allows an exception to this rule for a specific amount of trailing spaces used to insert an explicit line break/br element. For example, set brspaces to 2 to allow exactly 2 spaces at the end of a line.

Note: you have to set brspaces to 2 or higher for this exception to take effect - you can't insert a br element with just a single trailing space, so if you set brspaces to 1, the exception will be disabled, just as if it was set to the default of 0.

MD031 - Fenced code blocks should be surrounded by blank lines

Tags: code, blank_lines

Aliases: blanks-around-fences

This rule is triggered when fenced code blocks are either not preceded or not followed by a blank line:

Some text
```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```
Some more text

To fix this, ensure that all fenced code blocks have a blank line both before and after (except where the block is at the beginning or end of the document):

Some text

```
Code block
```

```
Another code block
```

Some more text

Rationale: Aside from aesthetic reasons, some parsers, including kramdown, will not parse fenced code blocks that don't have blank lines before and after them.

MD012 - Multiple consecutive blank lines

Tags: whitespace, blank_lines

Aliases: no-multiple-blanks

This rule is triggered when there are multiple consecutive blank lines in the document:

Some text here


Some more text here

To fix this, delete the offending lines:

Some text here

Some more text here

Note: this rule will not be triggered if there are multiple consecutive blank lines inside code blocks.

MD025 - Multiple top level headers in the same document

Tags: headers

Aliases: single-h1

Parameters: level (number; default 1)

This rule is triggered when a top level header is in use (the first line of the file is a h1 header), and more than one h1 header is in use in the document:

# Top level header

# Another top level header

To fix, structure your document so that there is a single h1 header that is the title for the document, and all later headers are h2 or lower level headers:

# Title

## Header

## Another header

Rationale: A top level header is a h1 on the first line of the file, and serves as the title for the document. If this convention is in use, then there can not be more than one title for the document, and the entire document should be contained within this header.

Note: The level parameter can be used to change the top level (ex: to h2) in cases where an h1 is added externally.

MD012 - Multiple consecutive blank lines

Tags: whitespace, blank_lines

Aliases: no-multiple-blanks

This rule is triggered when there are multiple consecutive blank lines in the document:

Some text here


Some more text here

To fix this, delete the offending lines:

Some text here

Some more text here

Note: this rule will not be triggered if there are multiple consecutive blank lines inside code blocks.