A cheat sheet for GLFM: task lists, math, diagrams, references, and GitLab-only extras
GitLab Flavored Markdown supports everything in GitHub Flavored Markdown plus GitLab-only features: [[_TOC_]] for a table of contents, color chips like `#FF5733`, math with $`...`$, Mermaid/PlantUML diagrams, and references such as #123, !123, and @user.
Standard Markdown bold
**bold text**
Standard Markdown italic
*italic text*
GFM strikethrough
~~strikethrough~~
Single backticks
`code`
Up to six levels
# Heading
Auto-generated TOC from headings
[[_TOC_]]
Interactive checkboxes in issues and MRs
- [x] Done - [ ] Todo
Hex, RGB, or HSL codes render a color swatch
`#FF5733`
Reference-style footnotes
Text[^1] [^1]: The note.
Fence a quote with >>>
>>> Multi-paragraph quote >>>
KaTeX inline math
$`a^2 + b^2 = c^2`$
Fenced math block
```math
\sum_{i=1}^{n} i
```Flowcharts and diagrams
```mermaid graph TD A --> B ```
UML diagrams (if enabled)
```plantuml Bob -> Alice : hello ```
Auto-links to issue 123
#123
Auto-links to merge request 123
!123
Mentions and notifies a user
@username
References a project label
~label
GitLab emoji shortcodes
:thumbsup:
GitLab Flavored Markdown (GLFM) is GitLab’s Markdown dialect. It builds on CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown and adds GitLab-specific features such as [[_TOC_]], color chips, references like #123 and !123, math, and Mermaid/PlantUML diagrams.
Insert [[_TOC_]] on its own line, or use the [TOC] tag in wikis. GitLab builds the table of contents automatically from the headings on the page.
Use $`...`$ for inline math and a fenced ```math block for display math. GitLab renders both with KaTeX.
Yes. When you write a color code inside backticks, such as `#FF5733`, `rgb(255,87,51)`, or `hsl(9,100%,60%)`, GitLab shows a small color swatch next to the code.
Yes. Put your diagram in a fenced code block with the mermaid language, and GitLab renders it inline in issues, merge requests, wikis, and Markdown files.