Basic Markdown table structure
A Markdown table has a header row, a separator row, and one or more body rows.
| Name | Role | | --- | --- | | Ada | Engineer | | Grace | Reviewer |
Fastest path with Tidy Utils
- Paste rows, CSV, or tab-separated text into the Markdown Table Generator.
- Choose a delimiter or use auto-detection.
- Preview the table and copy the Markdown output.
Alignment markers
Use colons in the separator row to control alignment: left, center, or right.
| Left | Center | Right | | :--- | :---: | ---: | | A | B | C |
Escaping pipe characters
The pipe character separates table cells. If a literal pipe belongs inside a cell, escape it so Markdown does not split the cell.
| Pattern | Meaning | | --- | --- | | a\|b | a or b |
CSV vs TSV input
CSV is common when data comes from spreadsheets or databases. TSV can be easier when cells include commas.
If pasted rows include uneven spacing or stray blank lines, clean the text before converting it to a table.
Preview before copying
Preview the generated table before adding it to a README. A preview helps catch uneven rows, escaped pipe characters, or the wrong delimiter.
When JSON is the source
Use JSON Formatter when the source text is JSON and you need it readable before copying values into documentation. It is not a direct JSON-to-Markdown-table converter.
FAQ
How do I align columns in a Markdown table?
Put colons in the separator row: :--- for left, :---: for center, and ---: for right alignment.
How do I put a pipe character inside a Markdown table cell?
Escape the pipe as \| so Markdown treats it as cell text instead of a separator.
Can I convert CSV to a Markdown table?
Yes. Paste CSV into the Markdown Table Generator, choose comma as the delimiter, preview the table, and copy the Markdown output.
Should I use CSV or TSV input?
Use CSV when commas are reliable separators. Use TSV when cells may include commas and tabs are cleaner separators.