If not, don’t worry – it is dead-easy to learn. Markdown XL consists of 25 definitions, and it will only take you little time to get the hang of it. Soon you will be able to just type away, with no need to reach for the mouse.

The Smart Markup Bar

Until then, you can rely on Ulysses’ smart markup bar. Try and mark the word “rely”. Now, watch the bottom of the editor – see? The markup bar always displays the most common definitions for the specific selection, applicable with a single click.

The full list of available definitions is accessible via ⌘9. In the markup panel, navigate with the arrow keys and press Return to apply a definition. You can also start typing to filter the definitions displayed in the panel.

The definitions work in three different ways: They either mark up an entire paragraph (e.g., Heading, Comment Block), or they mark up a word or a phrase (e.g., Strong, Marked), or they add a so-called text object (e.g., Link, Footnote).

Let’s have a quick run through all available definitions and their respective uses.