How to Create a Markdown Table (Syntax & Generator)
Markdown tables use pipes (|) and dashes (-) to create columns and rows. The syntax is straightforward for simple tables but becomes tedious for wide tables with many columns. The Markdown Table Generator builds tables visually and exports clean Markdown that you can paste directly into READMEs, docs, and content files.
- Build Markdown tables with proper alignment, formatting, and multi-line content.
- Covers basic table syntax.
- Covers column alignment.
- Covers markdown table limitations.
- Covers using the table generator.
Basic Table Syntax
A Markdown table has three parts — the header row, the separator row, and data rows:
| Feature | Free | Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Storage | 5GB | 100GB |
| Support | Email | Priority |
Pipes separate columns. The separator row (dashes) defines column alignment and separates the header from data. You don't need to align the pipes perfectly — most renderers handle ragged tables.
Column Alignment
Control text alignment with colons in the separator row: :--- for left-aligned (default), :---: for centered, ---: for right-aligned:
| Name | Price | Stock |
| :--- | :---: | ---: |
| Widget | $9.99 | 42 |
Left-align text, center status labels, right-align numbers. This matches how most data tables are formatted in professional documents.
Markdown Table Limitations
Markdown tables don't support merged cells (colspan/rowspan), multi-line cell content (without HTML), nested tables, or complex formatting. For anything beyond basic tabular data, use HTML tables directly — most Markdown renderers accept inline HTML. The Markdown Table Generator handles the simple cases beautifully and exports clean, properly aligned Markdown.
background-size animation or @property registered custom properties instead.Using the Table Generator
Click to add rows and columns. Type content directly into cells. Drag to reorder columns. Set alignment per column. The tool generates clean Markdown with aligned pipes and proper separator syntax. Copy the output and paste into any Markdown file, GitHub README, or documentation site.