> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.papers.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.papers.ai/writing-and-editing/working-with-markdown-and-myst.md).

# Working with Markdown and MyST

Markdown (`.md`) and MyST (`.myst`) are lightweight markup formats. Unlike LaTeX and Typst, they have a **Visual** mode (a structured, word-processor-style view) as well as **Code** (raw source).

## What you get

* A toggle between **Code** and **Visual** editing, remembered per file. See [Editing modes](/writing-and-editing/editing-modes.md).
* A live rendered preview. MyST also surfaces a Problems panel for anything that fails to parse, the same way LaTeX and Typst do; plain Markdown has no compile step or diagnostics; it just renders. See [Compiling and fixing errors](/writing-and-editing/compiling-and-fixing-errors.md).
* Citation insertion from the References panel. See [Bibliography and citations](/citing-and-references/bibliography-and-citations.md).
* Standard Markdown image syntax for figures. See [Inserting images and figures](/writing-and-editing/inserting-images-and-figures.md).

{% hint style="success" %}
Ask the AI to draft a section, restructure a rough note, or clean up formatting, then review and apply the change. See [Using AI](/using-ai/using-ai.md).
{% endhint %}

## The block editor

In **Visual** mode, Markdown and MyST use a block-based editor. Type `/` at the start of a line to open a menu of blocks you can insert: headings, lists, tables, images, code blocks, and more, without remembering the underlying Markdown syntax.

{% hint style="info" %}
Slash commands are a Visual-mode feature. In **Code** mode you're editing raw source, so `/` just inserts the character.
{% endhint %}

## Things to know

* Kanban boards (`.kanban`) and timelines (`.timeline`) are MyST-based files under the hood, but they open in their own dedicated board view rather than as editable Markdown. See [Kanban and timeline boards](/notebooks-and-data/kanban-and-timeline-boards.md).
* MyST supports the same citation and image syntax as Markdown, plus additional scientific-writing directives.

## Next steps

* [Editing modes](/writing-and-editing/editing-modes.md)
* [Working with LaTeX and Typst](/writing-and-editing/working-with-latex-and-typst.md)
* [Bibliography and citations](/citing-and-references/bibliography-and-citations.md)