Tables

Syntax

A table has a header row, a delimiter row of dashes, and body rows. Cells are separated by |:

| Name  | Qty | Note  |
| ----- | --- | ----- |
| Apple | 10  | fresh |
| Kiwi  | 2   |       |

The outer pipes are optional, and the columns don't have to line up; Format Table lines them up for you. To line up every table whenever you save, turn on Settings → Files → Align tables on save.

Alignment

Colons in the delimiter row align a column:

| Left | Centre | Right |
| :--- | :----: | ----: |
| a    |   b    |     c |

Table tools

Command	Shortcut	What it does
Insert Table		Inserts a two-column table to fill in. The toolbar's Table button lets you choose the number of columns and rows (up to 20 each)
Fix Table		Repairs a table typed with mistakes: adds or rebuilds the divider row (|---|, keeping alignment colons, also from === or long dashes), adds a header when the table starts with its divider, gives short rows empty cells and keeps extra cells (the header gains "Column N"), adds the missing outer pipes, escapes a pipe inside code, removes blank lines inside the table, and aligns the columns. Put the cursor in the table (or select it) and use Table → Fix Table, or the toolbar's Table tools menu. Selected comma- or tab-separated lines are converted instead
Convert Selection to Table		Turns selected comma-, tab-, semicolon- or pipe-separated lines into a table; the first line becomes the header and numeric columns are right-aligned. Every line needs the same number of values (at least two)
Format Table	Ctrl+Alt+T	Pads every column to the same width and normalizes the delimiter row. Wide characters (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, emoji) count as two columns, so tables stay aligned
Next / previous cell	Tab / Shift+Tab	In a table, formats it and selects the next or previous cell's text, so you can type over it. Tab in the last cell adds a row. Outside tables, Tab indents as usual
Table: Insert Row Above / Below		Adds an empty row next to the cursor's row (below the header when the cursor is in the header) and moves the cursor into it
Table: Insert Column Left / Right		Adds an empty column next to the cursor's column; the other columns keep their alignment
Table: Delete Row / Delete Column		Removes the cursor's body row or column. The header row, and a table's last column, can't be deleted
Table: Align Column Left / Center / Right		Sets the alignment of the cursor's column (the colons in the divider row) and aligns the table
Table: Move Column Left / Right		Swaps the cursor's column with its neighbour, alignment included
Sort Table by Column (A to Z / Z to A)		Sorts the body rows by the column the cursor is in, then formats the table
Copy Table as CSV		Copies the table at the cursor as CSV for a spreadsheet

All of them are in the Table menu, the toolbar's Table tools and the command palette, and can be undone.

How sorting works

• If every filled cell in the column is a number (for example 1,200, 3.5% or $9), rows are sorted numerically, so 90 comes before 1,200.
• Otherwise they're sorted as text, ignoring case, with numbers inside text in natural order (item9 before item10).
• Rows with an empty cell in that column always go last, and rows with equal values keep their order.

Tables from spreadsheets and CSV

• Paste cells copied from Excel or Google Sheets into the editor; they become a Markdown table.
• File → Import → CSV as Table… (also in the Table menu) converts a .csv or .tsv file into a table.

Editing tips

• Use Alt+drag to select a rectangular block, for example one column, and edit it with multiple cursors.
• To put a | inside a cell, escape it: \|.
• Cells hold inline content only: text, emphasis, code, links and images, but not lists or paragraphs. Use <br> for a line break inside a cell.

Preview

Tables render with borders and a header row, and wide tables scroll horizontally in the preview. They're exported as real tables to PDF, Word and HTML.