Markdown

A Markdown file contains readable text rather than Word formatting. Use # for a main heading, ## for a subheading, - for a list and **text** for bold text. Write links as [link text](https://example.com). Software that supports Markdown can display those characters as formatted text. The file usually has the .md extension.

Use Markdown when you want to organise, share or update text: for example, a README explaining a project, a manual, a content brief or an article. You can open it with a plain text editor. Changes are easy to compare in version control systems such as Git. For a brochure with precisely defined page layouts, a design application is more suitable.

For AI, you can use a .md file containing your brand voice, writing rules, product information or task instructions. Organise it into sections such as Goal, Context, Rules and Examples. Paste the text into a prompt or attach the file to an AI tool that supports file input. Check which file types the tool can actually read.

For coding agents, a file such as AGENTS.md can contain project instructions: conventions to follow, how to run tests and which files must not be changed. This only works if the agent or its environment supports and reads that file. An arbitrary .md file does not automatically become an instruction. Knowledge files also need to be explicitly read or connected to a retrieval feature such as RAG.

For example, store your tone of voice, permitted claims and sample copy in brand-rules.md. When asking AI to write a campaign email, supply this file and ask it to apply the rules. Markdown helps organise information; it does not train the model or guarantee that every rule will be followed. Review the output and update the source file when your guidelines change.