# Lists and tables (/create/list-table)

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Related: [Format text](/create/text.md), [Format code](/create/code.md), [Images and embeds](/create/image-embeds.md), [Files](/create/files.md)

## Lists [#lists]

Lists follow the official [Markdown syntax](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#lists-1).

### Ordered list [#ordered-list]

To create an ordered list, add numbers followed by a period before list items.

1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
4. Fourth item

```mdx
1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
4. Fourth item
```

### Unordered list [#unordered-list]

To create an unordered list, add dashes (`-`), asterisks (`*`), or plus signs (`+`) before list items.

* First item
* Second item
* Third item
* Fourth item

```mdx
- First item
- Second item
- Third item
- Fourth item
```

### Nested list [#nested-list]

Indent list items to nest them.

* First item
* Second item
  * Additional item
  * Additional item
* Third item

```mdx
- First item
- Second item
  - Additional item
  - Additional item
- Third item
```

### Task list [#task-list]

To create a task list, add `[ ]` for an unchecked checkbox or `[x]` for a checked checkbox after unordered list markers.

* [x] Completed item
* [ ] Incomplete item

```mdx
- [x] Completed item
- [ ] Incomplete item
```

## Tables [#tables]

Tables follow the official [Markdown syntax](https://www.markdownguide.org/extended-syntax/#tables).

To add a table, use three or more hyphens (`---`) to create each column's header, and use pipes (`|`) to separate each column. For compatibility, you should also add a pipe on either end of the row.

| Property | Description                           |
| -------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Name     | Full name of user                     |
| Age      | Reported age                          |
| Joined   | Whether the user joined the community |

```mdx
| Property | Description                           |
| -------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Name     | Full name of user                     |
| Age      | Reported age                          |
| Joined   | Whether the user joined the community |
```

### Escape pipe characters [#escape-pipe-characters]

To include a literal pipe character (`|`) in a table cell, prefix it with a backslash (`\|`). Escape pipe characters even when they appear inside inline code. Otherwise, the pipe is treated as a column separator and can cause parsing errors during preview or validation.

| Value         | Description                       |
| ------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `read\|write` | A value containing a literal pipe |

```mdx
| Value         | Description                       |
| ------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `read\|write` | A value containing a literal pipe |
```

### Column alignment [#column-alignment]

Use colons in the separator row to align column content:

| Left aligned | Center aligned | Right aligned |
| :----------- | :------------: | ------------: |
| Left         |     Center     |         Right |
| Text         |      Text      |          Text |

```mdx
| Left aligned | Center aligned | Right aligned |
| :----------- | :------------: | ------------: |
| Left         | Center         | Right         |
| Text         | Text           | Text          |
```

### Column widths [#column-widths]

Markdown tables size their columns automatically based on content. To control column widths, write the table in HTML and add a `<colgroup>` element that sets a width on every `<col>`.

In the [editor](/editor)'s visual mode, drag a column border to resize it. The editor converts the table to HTML and writes the `<colgroup>` widths for you.

When every `<col>` declares a width, through the `width` attribute or an inline style, the table uses your widths and wraps long content within each column. If any `<col>` is missing a width, Mintlify ignores the declared widths and sizes columns based on content. Tables that are too wide for the page scroll horizontally.

<table>
  <colgroup>
    <col width="25%" />

    <col width="15%" />

    <col width="60%" />
  </colgroup>

  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>
        Parameter
      </th>

      <th>
        Type
      </th>

      <th>
        Description
      </th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>
        name
      </td>

      <td>
        string
      </td>

      <td>
        Full name of the user
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        age
      </td>

      <td>
        number
      </td>

      <td>
        Reported age of the user
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

```html
<table>
  <colgroup>
    <col width="25%" />
    <col width="15%" />
    <col width="60%" />
  </colgroup>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Parameter</th>
      <th>Type</th>
      <th>Description</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>name</td>
      <td>string</td>
      <td>Full name of the user</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>age</td>
      <td>number</td>
      <td>Reported age of the user</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>
```