MD013 - Line length

Tags: line_length

Aliases: line-length Parameters: linelength, codeblocks, tables (number; default 80, boolean; default true)

This rule is triggered when there are lines that are longer than the configured line length (default: 80 characters). To fix this, split the line up into multiple lines.

This rule has an exception where there is no whitespace beyond the configured line length. This allows you to still include items such as long URLs without being forced to break them in the middle.

You also have the option to exclude this rule for code blocks and tables. To do this, set the code_blocks and/or tables parameters to false.

Code blocks are included in this rule by default since it is often a requirement for document readability, and tentatively compatible with code rules. Still, some languages do not lend themselves to short lines.

MD013 - Line length

Tags: line_length

Aliases: line-length Parameters: linelength, codeblocks, tables (number; default 80, boolean; default true)

This rule is triggered when there are lines that are longer than the configured line length (default: 80 characters). To fix this, split the line up into multiple lines.

This rule has an exception where there is no whitespace beyond the configured line length. This allows you to still include items such as long URLs without being forced to break them in the middle.

You also have the option to exclude this rule for code blocks and tables. To do this, set the code_blocks and/or tables parameters to false.

Code blocks are included in this rule by default since it is often a requirement for document readability, and tentatively compatible with code rules. Still, some languages do not lend themselves to short lines.

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.

MD024 - Multiple headers with the same content

Tags: headers

Aliases: no-duplicate-header

Parameters: allowdifferentnesting (boolean; default false)

This rule is triggered if there are multiple headers in the document that have the same text:

# Some text

## Some text

To fix this, ensure that the content of each header is different:

# Some text

## Some more text

Rationale: Some markdown parses generate anchors for headers based on the header name, and having headers with the same content can cause problems with this.

If the parameter allow_different_nesting is set to true, header duplication under different nesting is allowed, like it usually happens in change logs:

# Change log

## 2.0.0

### Bug fixes

### Features

## 1.0.0

### Bug fixes

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.

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

MD013 - Line length

Tags: line_length

Aliases: line-length Parameters: linelength, codeblocks, tables (number; default 80, boolean; default true)

This rule is triggered when there are lines that are longer than the configured line length (default: 80 characters). To fix this, split the line up into multiple lines.

This rule has an exception where there is no whitespace beyond the configured line length. This allows you to still include items such as long URLs without being forced to break them in the middle.

You also have the option to exclude this rule for code blocks and tables. To do this, set the code_blocks and/or tables parameters to false.

Code blocks are included in this rule by default since it is often a requirement for document readability, and tentatively compatible with code rules. Still, some languages do not lend themselves to short lines.

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

MD006 - Consider starting bulleted lists at the beginning of the line

Tags: bullet, ul, indentation

Aliases: ul-start-left

This rule is triggered when top level lists don't start at the beginning of a line:

Some text

  * List item
  * List item

To fix, ensure that top level list items are not indented:

Some test

* List item
* List item

Rationale: Starting lists at the beginning of the line means that nested list items can all be indented by the same amount when an editor's indent function or the tab key is used to indent. Starting a list 1 space in means that the indent of the first nested list is less than the indent of the second level (3 characters if you use 4 space tabs, or 1 character if you use 2 space tabs).

MD013 - Line length

Tags: line_length

Aliases: line-length Parameters: linelength, codeblocks, tables (number; default 80, boolean; default true)

This rule is triggered when there are lines that are longer than the configured line length (default: 80 characters). To fix this, split the line up into multiple lines.

This rule has an exception where there is no whitespace beyond the configured line length. This allows you to still include items such as long URLs without being forced to break them in the middle.

You also have the option to exclude this rule for code blocks and tables. To do this, set the code_blocks and/or tables parameters to false.

Code blocks are included in this rule by default since it is often a requirement for document readability, and tentatively compatible with code rules. Still, some languages do not lend themselves to short lines.

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

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

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.

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.

MD013 - Line length

Tags: line_length

Aliases: line-length Parameters: linelength, codeblocks, tables (number; default 80, boolean; default true)

This rule is triggered when there are lines that are longer than the configured line length (default: 80 characters). To fix this, split the line up into multiple lines.

This rule has an exception where there is no whitespace beyond the configured line length. This allows you to still include items such as long URLs without being forced to break them in the middle.

You also have the option to exclude this rule for code blocks and tables. To do this, set the code_blocks and/or tables parameters to false.

Code blocks are included in this rule by default since it is often a requirement for document readability, and tentatively compatible with code rules. Still, some languages do not lend themselves to short lines.