Formatting

This page showcases the various formatting and layout options available for content. Note that there is a separate page for formatting images, videos, animations and prototypes. This allows editors to better understand their toolbox and access reference code. It also allows designers to see the design system in one place.

The design source file is a public Figma community file you can find here. To improve the design, please start with the Figma file and make a proposal in Discord or Github before implementing.

Basic markdown formatting

We use Markdown when writing content. Markdown is a plain-text formatting syntax that helps us better prepare our text for the web. Below you can find an overview of commonly used syntax elements.

Text formatting

Text can be bold, italic, or ~~strikethrough~~.

**bold**
_italic_
~~strikethrough~~

There should be whitespace between paragraphs.

Headers

# h1
## h2
### h3
#### h4
##### h5
###### h6

h1 header

h2 header

h3 header

H4 header

h5 header

h6 header

Blockquote

> The details are not the details. They make the design.
>
> <cite>By <a href="https://bitcoin.design">Charles Eames</a></cite>

The details are not the details. They make the design.

By Charles Eames

Links

External Links

[Link to another page](https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf)

Link to another page

Internal links

Formatting with relative_url is required for internal links, so the site can create correct links across any domain and sub-domain.

[Linking]({{ '/guide/getting-started/why-bitcoin-is-unique/' | relative_url }})

Linking

Button links

[Filled button link](https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf){: .button}
[Outline button link](https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf){: .button.-outline}

Filled button link Outline button link

Lists

Breaking down content into lists is useful for readability. Here are examples of different list types.

Unordered list:

*   Item foo
*   Item bar
*   Item baz
*   Item zip

Item foo
Item bar
Item baz
Item zip

Ordered list:

 Item one
 Item two
 Item three
 Item four

Item one
Item two
Item three
Item four

Nested list

- level 1 item
  - level 2 item
  - level 2 item
    - level 3 item
    - level 3 item
- level 1 item
  - level 2 item
  - level 2 item
  - level 2 item
- level 1 item
  - level 2 item
  - level 2 item
- level 1 item

level 1 item
- level 2 item
- level 2 item
  - level 3 item
  - level 3 item
level 1 item
- level 2 item
- level 2 item
- level 2 item
level 1 item
- level 2 item
- level 2 item
level 1 item

Nesting an ol in ul in an ol

- level 1 item (ul)
  1. level 2 item (ol)
  1. level 2 item (ol)
    - level 3 item (ul)
    - level 3 item (ul)
- level 1 item (ul)
  1. level 2 item (ol)
  1. level 2 item (ol)
    - level 3 item (ul)
    - level 3 item (ul)
  1. level 4 item (ol)
  1. level 4 item (ol)
    - level 3 item (ul)
    - level 3 item (ul)
- level 1 item (ul)

level 1 item (ul)
1. level 2 item (ol)
2. level 2 item (ol)
  - level 3 item (ul)
  - level 3 item (ul)
level 1 item (ul)
1. level 2 item (ol)
2. level 2 item (ol)
  - level 3 item (ul)
  - level 3 item (ul)
3. level 4 item (ol)
4. level 4 item (ol)
  - level 3 item (ul)
  - level 3 item (ul)
level 1 item (ul)

Task list

- [ ] Hello, this is a TODO item
- [ ] Hello, this is another TODO item
- [x] Goodbye, this item is done

Hello, this is a TODO item
Hello, this is another TODO item
Goodbye, this item is done

Definition list

Typically used for lists of terms and descriptions.

{% include dl/open.html %}

{% include dl/item-open.html color="red" %}

“You will be shown your recovery phrase on the next screen”

{% include dl/item-middle.html color="red" %}

Prepares a user for what they are about to **see**.

{% include dl/item-close.html %}

{% include dl/close.html %}

“You will be shown your recovery phrase on the next screen”: Prepares a user for what they are about to see.
“Your recovery phrase is a group of 12 random words”: Explains to users what a recovery phrase is.
“Your recovery phrase is the only way to access your wallet if your phone is lost or stolen.”: Explains to users what the purpose of a recovery phrase is and why it’s important.
“If you lose your recovery phrase, you will no longer be able to access your wallet. Never share your recovery phrase with anyone. Anyone who has it can access your funds.”: Explains to users what the consequences of their behavior are, and how it can affect the safety of their funds.
“We recommend writing these words down in order on a piece of paper and storing it somewhere safe that you will remember.”: Guides and gives users actionable items on how to safely handle their recovery phrase.

Tables

| head1        | head two          | three |
|:-------------|:------------------|:------|
| ok           | good swedish fish | nice  |
| out of stock | good and plenty   | nice  |
| ok           | good `oreos`      | hmm   |
| ok           | good `zoute` drop | yumm  |

head1	head two	three
ok	good swedish fish	nice
out of stock	good and plenty	nice
ok	good `oreos`	hmm
ok	good `zoute` drop	yumm

Code embedding

// Javascript code with syntax highlighting.
var fun = function lang(l) {
  dateformat.i18n = require('./lang/' + l)
  return true;
}

# Ruby code with syntax highlighting
GitHubPages::Dependencies.gems.each do |gem, version|
  s.add_dependency(gem, "= #{version}")
end

Single-line code blocks

Long, single-line code blocks should not wrap. They should horizontally scroll if they are too long. This line should be long enough to demonstrate this.

Long, single-line code blocks should not wrap. They should horizontally scroll if they are too long. This line should be long enough to demonstrate this.

There’s a horizontal rule below this.

* * *

Tips & recommendations

For additional useful information, but does not fit into the main flow of the content. This component has two presets, but can also be customized. Here are the presets:

Tips

{% include tip/tip.html %}

Sed in lacus vitae turpis lobortis ultrices. Aenean hendrerit nec elit in sagittis. Nulla mi ante, luctus vitae tincidunt ut, rhoncus ac ex. Morbi sit amet mauris est.

{% include tip/close.html %}

Tip

Sed in lacus vitae turpis lobortis ultrices. Aenean hendrerit nec elit in sagittis. Nulla mi ante, luctus vitae tincidunt ut, rhoncus ac ex. Morbi sit amet mauris est.

Recommendations

For highlighting moments when we think there is a particular approach or solution that the reader should strongly consider following.

{% include tip/recommendation.html %}

Most bitcoin products should use HD Wallets with Native Segwit addresses (unless focusing on maximum backwards compatibility).

{% include tip/close.html %}

Recommendation

Most bitcoin products should use HD Wallets with Native Segwit addresses (unless focusing on maximum backwards compatibility).

Custom use

You can also customize which color, title and icon the component should display with the following template. Available colors are red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

{% include tip/open.html color="green" icon="check" label="My title" %}

Most bitcoin products should use HD Wallets with Native Segwit addresses (unless focusing on maximum backwards compatibility).

{% include tip/close.html %}

Do this

Most bitcoin products should use HD Wallets with Native Segwit addresses (unless focusing on maximum backwards compatibility).

Don't do this

Most bitcoin products should use HD Wallets with Native Segwit addresses (unless focusing on maximum backwards compatibility).

Facts

A table that provides specific descriptions based on standardized properties. Variations available are:

fact/pros.html
fact/cons.html
fact/dos.html
fact/donts.html
fact/variations.html
fact/products.html

{% include fact/pros.html %}

Can provide higher resistance to loss from theft and negligence.

{% include fact/close.html %}

Pros

Can provide higher resistance to loss from theft and negligence.

Cons

Require precise coordination of key-shares when signing, few advantages over multi-key setups with Schnorr signatures, individual implementations not interoperable.

Do's

When the target audience is knowledgeable, and risk of theft is higher than negligence.

Don'ts

When Schnorr signatures are available enabling multi-key setups.

Variations

Number of signatures required, location and distribution of pieces, signing procedure.

Products

Bitcoin wallet, BTC wallet, BeeTeeCee Wallet

Do’s and don’ts

This component allows for visual display and comparison of good and bad design implementations. The component consists of open, middle and close tags, between which regular markdown can be used.

{% include do/open.html label="Do" icon="check" color="green" %}

Provide clear error messages that tell users how to solve the problem.

{% include image.html
   image = "/assets/images/guide/contribute/formatting/example-image-square.jpg"
   retina = "/assets/images/guide/contribute/formatting/example-image-square@2x.jpg"
   alt-text = "Example image"
   width = 400
   height = 400
%}

{% include do/middle.html label="Don't" icon="forbid" color="red" %}

Write overly complex error messages that require deep technical knowledge.

{% include image.html
   image = "/assets/images/guide/contribute/formatting/media/example-image-square.jpg"
   retina = "/assets/images/guide/contribute/formatting/media/example-image-square@2x.jpg"
   alt-text = "Example image"
   width = 400
   height = 400
%}

{% include do/close.html %}

Do

Provide clear error messages that tell users how to solve the problem.

Don't

Write overly complex error messages that require deep technical knowledge.

Footnotes

With footnotes, you can add notes and references without them appearing on page.

Here's a simple footnote[^1]

Here’s a simple footnote¹

[^1]: https://bitcoin.design "Footnote with a caption"

Let’s look at including images, videos, animations and prototypes in formatting media.

Media

https://bitcoin.design “Footnote with a caption” ↩

Formatting

Basic markdown formatting #

Text formatting #

Headers #

h1 header

h2 header #

h3 header #

H4 header #

h5 header #

h6 header #

Blockquote #

Links #

External Links #

Internal links #

Button links #

Lists #

Unordered list: #

Ordered list: #

Nested list #

Nesting an ol in ul in an ol #

Task list #

Definition list #

Tables #

Code embedding #

Single-line code blocks #

There’s a horizontal rule below this. #

Tips & recommendations #

Tips #

Tip

Recommendations #

Recommendation

Custom use #

Do this

Don't do this

Facts #

Pros

Cons

Do's

Don'ts

Variations

Products

Do’s and don’ts #

Do

Don't

Footnotes #

Basic markdown formatting

Text formatting

Headers

h2 header

h3 header

H4 header

h5 header

h6 header

Blockquote

Links

External Links

Internal links

Button links

Lists

Unordered list:

Ordered list:

Nested list

Nesting an ol in ul in an ol

Task list

Definition list

Tables

Code embedding

Single-line code blocks

There’s a horizontal rule below this.

Tips & recommendations

Tips

Recommendations

Custom use

Facts

Do’s and don’ts

Footnotes