Markdown Callouts Guide
What are Callouts?
While basic markdown only provides simple blockquotes (>
), GitHub introduced enhanced design features that allow writers to emphasize specific content and clearly convey intent to readers through callout functionality. This feature has been adopted by other markdown rendering tools like GitLab and Obsidian and is now widely used.
Basic blockquote syntax:
> This is a basic markdown blockquote.
> It only provides a simple gray vertical line and indentation.
Rendered result:
This is a basic markdown blockquote. It only provides a simple gray vertical line and indentation.
In contrast, callouts provide rich visual elements like colors, icons, and titles to clearly convey the nature of the content.
Basic Usage
Callouts use the following syntax:
> [!type]
> Callout content
[!tip] Case Sensitivity Rules
Callout types are case-insensitive. [!NOTE]
, [!note]
, and [!Note]
all work identically.
However, it's recommended to choose one consistent rule:
- Lowercase (
[!note]
): Faster typing without Shift key - Uppercase (
[!NOTE]
): More visually prominent and formal
Recommendation: Use lowercase. With markdown linters (standardization tools), you can automatically convert all callouts to uppercase later if needed, so it's more efficient to use convenient lowercase during writing and convert with tools when necessary.
Examples
> [!note]
> This is a note callout.
> [!warning]
> This is a warning callout.
> [!tip] Custom Title
> You can add a custom title.
Markdown Platform Callout/Alert Support Comparison
Callout Type | GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|---|
NOTE | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
TIP | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
IMPORTANT | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
WARNING | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
CAUTION | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
info | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
todo | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
abstract | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
summary | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
tldr | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
hint | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
success | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
check | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
done | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
question | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
help | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
faq | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
attention | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
failure | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
fail | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
missing | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
danger | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
error | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
bug | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
example | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
quote | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
cite | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
While Obsidian offers 25 different callout types, we strongly recommend using only the 5 common types.
Key reasons:
- Reduced choice fatigue: No need to choose among 25 options - just remember 5
- Focus on writing: Spend time on content, not callout selection
- Maintain consistency: Build unified style across teams and projects
- Ensure compatibility: Works identically across GitHub, GitLab, and other platforms
- Minimize cognitive load: Readers only need to understand 5 familiar types
Recommended 5 types: NOTE (information), TIP (tips), IMPORTANT (important), WARNING (warning), CAUTION (caution)
These 5 types can effectively express 99% of situations. More choices aren't always better.
Basic Information Callouts
Used to display basic information or notes that users should be aware of.
Note
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Displays basic information or notes.
Info
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays informational content or guidance.
Todo
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays to-do items or task lists.
Help and Suggestion Callouts
Used to provide helpful tips or emphasize important information for users.
Tip
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Displays useful tips or suggestions.
Hint
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Used to provide hints or clues.
Important
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Emphasizes important information or key content.
Question and Help Callouts
Used to address user questions or provide assistance.
Question
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays questions or inquiries.
Help
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Provides help information or usage instructions.
FAQ
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays frequently asked questions and answers.
Warning and Caution Callouts
Used to convey warnings or cautionary information to users.
Warning
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Warns about matters requiring attention.
Caution
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Alerts about content requiring caution or risk factors.
Attention
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Emphasizes content requiring special attention.
Success and Completion Callouts
Used to display successful results or completed tasks.
Success
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays successful results or positive status.
Check
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays confirmed content or verified information.
Done
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays completed tasks or finished content.
Summary and Organization Callouts
Used to summarize content or provide concise key points.
Abstract
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Provides an overview of a document or content.
Summary
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Summarizes and organizes key content.
TLDR
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Too Long; Didn't Read - provides a brief summary of lengthy content.
Error and Problem Callouts
Used to display errors, failures, and issues.
Failure
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays failed results or problematic situations.
Fail
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Indicates failure situations or incorrect results.
Missing
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays missing content or incomplete information.
Danger
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Warns about dangerous situations or serious problems.
Error
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays error situations or error messages.
Bug
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Used to report bugs or software defects.
Example and Citation Callouts
Used to show examples or cite content from other sources.
Example
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Provides specific examples or sample code.
Quote
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Displays quotes from other sources or famous sayings.
Cite
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Used to specify references or sources.
Advanced Features
Adding Titles (Supported by All Platforms)
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
You can add a title after the callout type.
Folding/Expanding Feature (Obsidian Only)
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Syntax:
> [!info]- Collapsed by Default
> Using the minus (-) symbol displays the callout collapsed by default.
> [!info]+ Expanded by Default
> Using the plus (+) symbol displays the callout expanded by default.
Rendered result:
Collapsed by Default
Using the minus (-) symbol displays the callout collapsed by default.
Expanded by Default
Using the plus (+) symbol displays the callout expanded by default.
Nested Callouts (Obsidian Only)
GitHub | GitLab | Obsidian |
---|---|---|
❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Syntax:
> [!warning] Outer Callout
> This is the outer callout.
>
> > [!tip] Inner Callout
> > You can nest other callouts inside a callout.
Rendered result:
This is the outer callout.
You can nest other callouts inside a callout.