One of my recent projects has been to build out a repository of architecture artefacts for my team to use in delivery of our engagements. I wanted something quick, simple to use, and my budget was… zero. I probably could have used Github or Azure DevOps but I wanted to integrate with an existing SharePoint site, so I simply created a new document library and started uploading files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I didn’t want a folder structure – ideally I will use the metadata on the files to allow searching – but I did want some simple release notes to act as an entry point\/index of what’s here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wanted to avoid Office file formats. They are good for many things, but I wanted something lightweight that would render easily in a browser or a text editor. And I wanted something a bit more than a text file. Which led me to Markdown – something I’ve been meaning to get to grips with for a while now*.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Markdown is not new, but it is beautifully simple. And in a world of wall-to-wall Microsoft productivity tools, it turned out to be incredibly elegant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting started with Markdown is simple. Open a text editor and write some words – as set out in John Gruber’s original post<\/a>. This guide tells a bit more though<\/a> – or try a tutorial<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I actually started writing my Markdown (.md) files with the Dillinger Markdown Editor<\/a>. Once I had the basics, I switched to editing in the SharePoint text file editor, or in Visual Studio Code:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I recently learned that SharePoint has a text editor built in. And it's not bad for a bit of markdown either… pic.twitter.com\/3YZyfPODbG<\/a><\/p>— Mark Wilson ???? (@markwilsonit) November 23, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>