How do you add a footnote in markdown?

Add [^1] in your text where you want the footnote marker, and [^1]: footnote text anywhere in the document (usually at the bottom). The footnote renders as a superscript number linked to the definition.

Does GitHub support markdown footnotes?

Yes, GitHub added footnote support in 2021. Use [^label] in the text and [^label]: definition at the bottom. Footnotes render as superscript numbers with a clickable back-link.

What is the difference between numbered and named footnote labels?

Both produce the same rendered result. Named labels ([^gruber]) are easier to manage in long documents because adding a new footnote does not require renumbering. Numbered labels ([^1]) look cleaner but require manual renumbering when reordered.

Do footnotes work in Notion or Slack markdown?

No. Footnote syntax ([^label]) is not supported by Notion, Discord, or Slack. It only works in GitHub (since 2021), Obsidian, Pandoc, and some other extended markdown renderers.

How to Add Footnotes in Markdown

The quick answer: Add [^label] in your text where you want the footnote marker, and [^label]: text anywhere in the document for the footnote content. The footnote renders as a superscript number linked to the definition at the bottom of the page.

Basic Syntax

Two parts are required: Part 1: The inline marker (in your text body): Here is a statement that needs a citation.[^1] Part 2: The footnote definition (usually at the bottom of the document): [^1]: This is the footnote text shown at the bottom of the page.

The marker renders as a superscript number ¹ in the text. Clicking it jumps to the footnote definition. The definition includes a back-link to return to the text.

Numbered vs Named Labels

Footnote labels can be numbers or words. Both render identically:

Numbered Labels

Markdown was created in 2004.[^1] [^1]: John Gruber and Aaron Swartz designed the original Markdown spec.

Named Labels

Markdown was created in 2004.[^gruber] [^gruber]: John Gruber and Aaron Swartz designed the original Markdown spec.

The rendered output is the same (sequential numbers). Named labels are easier to manage in long documents — when you add or remove footnotes, the labels don't need renumbering. The rendered numbers adjust automatically.

Multi-Line Footnotes

For longer footnotes with multiple paragraphs, indent continuation content with 4 spaces: [^note]: First paragraph of the footnote content. Second paragraph, still part of the same footnote. Indented with 4 spaces. - A list inside the footnote - Also indented 4 spaces

Where to Place Footnote Definitions

Footnote definitions can be placed anywhere in the document. Regardless of where you put them in the source, they always render at the bottom of the page in the output.

Common placement strategies:

At the very bottom of the document — most readable source
Just after the paragraph that references them — easiest to maintain
In a dedicated "References" section — mirrors academic paper conventions

Inline Footnotes (Pandoc Extension)

Pandoc extends footnote syntax with inline footnotes — the definition is embedded directly in the marker: Here is a statement.[^This is the footnote text, defined inline.]

This is more compact but harder to read in long documents. Inline footnotes are a Pandoc-specific extension not supported by GitHub or Obsidian.

Platform-by-Platform Breakdown

GitHub

GitHub added footnote support in September 2021. The syntax [^label] / [^label]: renders with superscript numbers and a footnotes section at the bottom. Works in README files, issues, pull requests, and discussions.

GitLab

GitLab does NOT support the [^label] footnote syntax. Footnote markers render as literal text.

Obsidian

Full footnote support. Obsidian renders superscript markers and a footnotes section. The footnote text is also visible in hover previews.

Pandoc

Pandoc has the most complete footnote support of any markdown processor — including inline footnotes, multi-paragraph footnotes, and academic-style references. Used for converting markdown to Word, PDF via LaTeX, and ePub.

Notion

Notion does not support markdown footnotes. The [^label] syntax renders as literal text.

Discord and Slack

Neither Discord nor Slack support footnote syntax. The markers appear as literal characters.

Common Mistakes

Missing the Colon in the Definition

[^1] This is wrong — missing the colon [^1]: This is correct

Forgetting to Define the Footnote

If you add a marker [^1] in your text but never add the corresponding [^1]: definition, the marker renders as literal text: [^1].

Labels with Spaces

[^my label] — labels cannot contain spaces [^my-label] — use hyphens instead

Expecting Footnotes in Unsupported Renderers

If your target platform is GitLab, Notion, Discord, or Slack, footnotes won't work. Consider using numbered inline parenthetical citations instead: (1) with a numbered list at the bottom.

Real-World Use Cases

Academic Writing

Footnotes are the standard citation mechanism in humanities scholarship. Pandoc converts markdown with footnotes to properly formatted Word or PDF documents with footnote formatting.

Technical Documentation

Footnotes in technical docs are useful for version notes, legal disclaimers, and extended explanations that would interrupt the main text flow: "This behavior changed in v2.3.[^v2-note]"

GitHub README Citations

For open-source projects that reference research papers, blog posts, or official specifications, GitHub's footnote support lets you add citable references without cluttering the main content.

AI Research Summaries

When using AI to summarize research papers or technical articles, ask it to use markdown footnote syntax for citations. Export the result via MarkdownTools — note that footnote rendering in MarkdownTools depends on the markdown-it parser's footnote extension being enabled.

Full reference: Markdown Footnotes.

Ready to put this into practice? Paste your markdown into the free MarkdownTools PDF exporter or HTML converter — no signup required.