Introduction

Have you ever heard of Markdown?

It’s a text language and file format that allows you to express the structure of a document using simple symbols.

Engineers and people in technical fields are usually familiar with it, but it’s not widely used outside those circles.

However, Markdown is rapidly becoming a practical and powerful tool for everyone.

That’s why I decided to jot down my thoughts about it.

Markdown and Plain Text

Markdown is a type of plain text.

Plain text refers to files composed purely of characters and symbols, without embedded styles or formatting.

  • Structure and formatting are expressed using simple characters
  • No extra metadata like fonts or layout styles
  • Readable on any OS or app

In other words, it’s simple, robust, and universally accessible.

The Pitfalls of Application Dependency

Most people are used to creating documents with Word or PowerPoint.

But there are downsides:

  • Slow to open due to application load times
  • Layouts break due to version differences or compatibility modes
  • More time spent on appearance than on content

Such “application-dependent documents” may eventually become a liability in terms of flexibility and portability.

Structured Writing in the Age of AI

Generative AIs like ChatGPT and automation tools interpret documents based on their structure.

But formats like Word often obscure this structure, making them harder for AI to process.

Markdown, as a plain text format, is explicit in its structure.

“Easy to write, easy to read—by humans and machines alike.”

That’s one of Markdown’s greatest strengths.

Basic Markdown Syntax

Markdown uses simple symbols to define structure:

# Title (Heading 1)
## Subtitle (Heading 2)

**Bold**, _Italic_
- Bullet list
1. Numbered list
[Link Text](https://blog.101ta28.com)

No need for toolbars or mouse operations like in Word.

You can focus entirely on writing.

Why It’s Especially Useful for Non-Engineers

Easy to Learn Without Advanced IT Skills

Markdown syntax is simple and intuitive.

In fact, it may be easier than learning Word’s interface.

For those not deeply familiar with computers, this simplicity can be a real advantage.

Smoother Information Sharing

Markdown is applicable in many contexts: emails, chat messages, meeting notes, blog posts, and even presentation drafts.

It also supports flexible file conversion.

A bit technical, but there are tools like Pandoc which let you convert Markdown into PDFs, Word files, and more.

Start with Simple Notes

You don’t need any special apps to use Markdown—even Notepad will do.

  • Meeting notes
  • Project summaries
  • Learning journals
  • Quick proposals

All of these can be written easily in Markdown.

“Readable, shareable, and resilient—even when it’s not perfectly polished.”

If that sounds appealing, I strongly encourage giving Markdown a try.