Markdown editor¶
Descriptions, rich-text fields and your own comments edit as markdown in the terminal, and in the browser as markdown or visually (below). laneway turns markdown into Jira's document format on save and back again on the next edit.
Plain markdown¶
Paragraphs, headings, lists, code, quotes, rules, and bold, italic,
code, ~~strike~~ and links. Text that would read as markdown (a *, a
# at a line's start, a :smile: typed as words) is escaped with \.
Jira's extras¶
| Jira | Markdown |
|---|---|
| Mention | @Ada Lovelace |
| Emoji | :smile: |
| Date | <date>2026-09-30</date> |
| Status | <status color="green">DONE</status> |
| Smart link | <https://…> |
| Link card | <!-- card: https://… --> |
| Panel (info, note, success, warning, error) | its text between <!-- panel:info --> and <!-- /panel --> |
| Expand | its text between <!-- expand: Title --> and <!-- /expand --> |
| Action item | - [ ] (- [x] done) |
| Decision | <> |
| Underline, sub, superscript | <u>, <sub>, <sup> |
| Text colour, background | <span style="color:#ff5630">, <span style="background-color:#fff0b3"> |
Tables¶
| a | b | rows. A cell's colour leads it as <!-- bg:#deebff -->, a
header cell outside the first row as <!-- th -->. <br> breaks a line in
a cell, <br><br> starts a paragraph. A numbered or sized table edits under
a <!-- table:1 numbered, column widths --> line that keeps its layout, and
its widths while the column count stays.
What markdown can't hold¶
- Inline content without a syntax stands as
⟦2 …⟧: edit around it, delete it to drop it. - A block, such as an image or a table with merged cells, stands as a
<!-- keep:1 table … -->line. Move the line and the block moves, delete it and the block goes; anything else and it comes back untouched. - A synced block or columns edit as their text between
<!-- block:2 … -->and<!-- /block -->.
While typing¶
/at a line's start lists all of the above to insert, narrowed as you type (/warn,/todo,/green).@and a few letters list people; the mention notifies them.:and two letters list emoji, the best match first (:smlefinds:smile:), the ones you use most above the rest.
The text is styled as you type (bold, italic, strike, code, links).
ctrl+s saves, enter is a newline, esc cancels (asking once when
there are changes). ctrl+e hands the text to $VISUAL or $EDITOR
(else vi); saving a changed file there writes it back. In a list,
↑ ↓ (or ctrl+p ctrl+n) pick and tab or enter inserts. A
failed save keeps your text in a file and says where.
Two modes, switched in the toolbar (the choice is kept per browser):
- Visual edits Jira's document itself, as it shows, and saves it
as it is: nothing goes through markdown. Markdown typed still
formats (
#,-,1.,[],>,```,---,**bold**)./inserts (tables, panels, expands, decisions, dates, status),@mentions,:picks an emoji. Pictures pasted or dropped upload where they land; drag an edge to size one, the bar over it places it left, centred, right or wrapped, sets its alt text and caption. A bar over a table adds and removes rows and columns, merges cells and colours them. Code blocks pick their language and are coloured. What it can't edit (a macro) is kept as it was. - Markdown draws markdown as rich text, its markers shown only on
the caret's line (Source shows them all);
ctrl+ppreviews,alt+↑↓move lines,entercontinues a list, quote or table,tabnests a list item or steps through cells. Pasted HTML comes in as markdown.
Switching converts what you wrote (a document markdown can't hold
stays Visual). ctrl+enter saves, esc cancels (asking once when
there are changes); ctrl+b ctrl+i ctrl+k (link) and ctrl+e
(code) format in both.
What you write is kept as a draft in the state file a moment after each change, shared by the terminal and the browser: open the editor on the issue again, in either, and it comes back. Saving, posting or cancelling drops it. The browser also sends it as the page goes, so a reload or a closed tab keeps the last keystrokes.
A description or rich-text field saves only when Jira still has what the editor opened on (for a draft, what it was written on). When someone changed it meanwhile, nothing is written:
The editor opens again on your text. ctrl+r swaps in Jira's and back;
ctrl+s saves the one showing over it.
A dialog shows what saving yours would change in Jira's: keep editing, take theirs, or save yours over it.