★ GFM FORMATTING RULESAug 9, 2026 • 5 min read
GFM Table Syntax: Formatting Structured Grids in Markdown
Master row-column alignments (`:---:`, `---:`), cell spacing, escaping pipes (`\\|`), and generating clean table grids.
1. GFM Table Syntax Basics
Tables in Markdown are formed by separating columns with pipe characters (`|`) and highlighting headers with hyphens:
| Column 1 (Left) | Column 2 (Center) | Column 3 (Right) | | :--- | :---: | ---: | | Value | Centered | Right-Aligned |
The colon positions in the divider row dictate alignment:
- `:---` aligns text left.
- `:---:` centers text.
- `---:` aligns text right.
Need a quick syntax copy?
Our interactive GFM Cheat Sheet lets you copy table templates, checklists, headers, and code fences in 1 click.