How to Write Markdown Footnotes on Forumosa
Ever wanted to add footnotes to your post to explain something without interrupting the flow? You can! Discourse supports Markdown-style footnotes, and they’re super easy to use.
Here’s a quick guide:
The Basic Syntax
There are two parts to every footnote:
- The reference — goes in your main text.
- The definition — goes at the bottom of your post.
Example:
In your post, you would write:
Taiwan has the highest density of convenience stores in the world.^[As of 2023, Taiwan has one convenience store for every 2,300 people.]
This will automatically position the footnote content (i.e., As of 2023, Taiwan has one convenience store for every 2,300 people.) in a numbered list at the bottom of the post after you hit submit. And it will automatically create a clickable footnote link, like this:
Taiwan has the highest density of convenience stores in the world.[1]
So, why use footnotes at all? They’re great for:
- Adding sources without cluttering your post - having all external links grouped at the bottom of your post can be easier for people to read
- Sharing extra context without distracting readers
- Adding humor or commentary “off to the side”[2]
btw: A brief history of footnotes on the internet
Footnotes have been around since the days of monks scribbling in margins — but on the internet, they’ve taken on a life of their own.
- Academic origins: Originally meant to cite sources in scholarly texts, footnotes were formal and dry.
- Internet remix: Bloggers in the early 2000s[3] started using footnotes for humour, side-comments, and witty asides.
- Forum fun: Footnotes became a low-key way to slip in sarcasm or extra context without derailing a main argument.
Even today, footnotes are a beloved tool in the hands of nerds, writers, and chaos agents who want to say “by the way…” without actually saying “by the way…”
So go ahead — drop that clever side-comment or citation[4]
FYR here is the official Discourse Footnote plugin page, in case you are interested
As of 2023, Taiwan has one convenience store for every 2,300 people. ↩︎
Like this one: I told my wife I was writing footnotes on the internet. She said, “Ah, so you’re finally putting your tiny opinions where they belong.” ↩︎
especially on sites like kottke.org and MetaFilter ↩︎
Just remember: Footnotes can be like scooters in Taipei — nimble, occasionally cheeky, and always finding space where you didn’t think there was any. ↩︎