Thematic breaks

A line consisting of 0-3 spaces of indentation, followed by a sequence of three or more matching -, _, or *characters, each followed optionally by any number of spaces or tabs, forms a thematic break (opens new window).

Example 13

Markdown	HTML	Demo
*** --- ___	<hr /> <hr /> <hr />

Wrong characters:

Example 14

Markdown	HTML	Demo
+++	<p>+++</p>

Example 15

Markdown	HTML	Demo
===	<p>===</p>

Not enough characters:

Example 16

Markdown	HTML	Demo
-- ** __	<p>-- ** __</p>

One to three spaces indent are allowed:

Example 17

Markdown	HTML	Demo
*** *** ***	<hr /> <hr /> <hr />

Four spaces is too many:

Example 18

Markdown	HTML	Demo
***	<pre><code>*** </code></pre>

Example 19

Markdown	HTML	Demo
Foo ***	<p>Foo ***</p>

More than three characters may be used:

Example 20

Markdown	HTML	Demo
_____________________________________	<hr />

Spaces are allowed between the characters:

Example 21

Markdown	HTML	Demo
- - -	<hr />

Example 22

Markdown	HTML	Demo
** * ** * ** * **	<hr />

Example 23

Markdown	HTML	Demo
- - - -	<hr />

Spaces are allowed at the end:

Example 24

Markdown	HTML	Demo
- - - -	<hr />

However, no other characters may occur in the line:

Example 25

Markdown	HTML	Demo
_ _ _ _ a a------ ---a---	<p>_ _ _ _ a</p> <p>a------</p> <p>---a---</p>

It is required that all of the non-whitespace characters (opens new window) be the same. So, this is not a thematic break:

Example 26

Markdown	HTML	Demo
*-*	<p><em>-</em></p>

Thematic breaks do not need blank lines before or after:

Example 27

Markdown	HTML	Demo
- foo *** - bar	<ul> <li>foo</li> </ul> <hr /> <ul> <li>bar</li> </ul>

Thematic breaks can interrupt a paragraph:

Example 28

Markdown	HTML	Demo
Foo *** bar	<p>Foo</p> <hr /> <p>bar</p>

If a line of dashes that meets the above conditions for being a thematic break could also be interpreted as the underline of a setext heading (opens new window), the interpretation as a setext heading (opens new window) takes precedence. Thus, for example, this is a setext heading, not a paragraph followed by a thematic break:

Example 29

Markdown	HTML	Demo
Foo --- bar	<h2>Foo</h2> <p>bar</p>

When both a thematic break and a list item are possible interpretations of a line, the thematic break takes precedence:

Example 30

Markdown	HTML	Demo
* Foo * * * * Bar	<ul> <li>Foo</li> </ul> <hr /> <ul> <li>Bar</li> </ul>

If you want a thematic break in a list item, use a different bullet:

Example 31

Markdown	HTML	Demo
- Foo - * * *	<ul> <li>Foo</li> <li> <hr /> </li> </ul>