GitHub combines a syntax for formatting text called GitHub Flavored Markdown with a few unique writing features.

Markdown is an easy-to-read, easy-to-write syntax for formatting plain text.

We've added some custom functionality to create GitHub Enterprise Flavored Markdown, used to format prose and code across our site.

You can also interact with other users in pull requests, issues, and wikis with features like @mentions, issue and PR references, and emoji.

Text formatting toolbar

Every comment field on GitHub Enterprise contains a text formatting toolbar, allowing you to format your text without learning Markdown syntax. In addition to Markdown formatting like bold and italic styles and creating headers, links, and lists, the toolbar includes GitHub Enterprise-specific features such as @mentions, task lists, and links to issues and pull requests.

Markdown toolbar

Further reading