Lesson 8 of 12 · Intermediate

Small tables for small comparisons

Pipes and dashes — keep them narrow and they render anywhere.

In this lesson you will learn table syntax — header, separator, rows — and column alignment, verified against how Typehall actually renders tables.

Syntax

| Plan | Price | Notes |
| ---- | ----- | ----- |
| Free | $0    | Local only |
| Pro  | $12   | Adds sync |

The first row is the header, the second row of dashes is the separator that makes it a table, and every following row is data. Pipes separate cells; the spacing around them is cosmetic and does not affect rendering.

Alignment

| Item   | Qty | Price |
| :----- | :-: | ----: |
| Apples |  6  | $4.20 |
| Bread  |  2  | $3.00 |

Colons in the separator request alignment: :--- left, :-: center, ---: right. Typehall preserves these alignments in Preview. Numbers and prices belong right-aligned; names stay left.

A real example

## Editor shortlist

| Editor | Local | Price |
| :----- | :---: | ----: |
| Typehall | Yes | $0 |
| Heavy app | No | $96/yr |

Verdict: start local, pay only for sync you need.

Limits worth knowing

Missing separator — without the dash row there is no table, just pipe-separated text. Every table needs all three parts.
Uneven rows — a row with fewer cells than the header renders with empty cells. Count the pipes when a table looks lopsided.
Wide tables on small screens — tables scroll horizontally inside the page on phones instead of breaking the layout. Still, keep tables to a few columns; a five-column table is a spreadsheet wearing a costume.

Exercise

Compare two options you are actually choosing between.

Give the table a header, a separator, two data rows, and right-align the column with numbers.

Three parts or no table: header, dash separator, then rows — check the alignment holds in Preview.

Try this exercise in Typehall

New to Typehall? Edit the Markdown in the new note, then choose Preview to see the rendered result, or Split to edit and preview at the same time. How the Markdown editor works. Tip: Split works especially well with Focus enabled, giving the editor and rendered preview more room.

From static rows to checkable ones: Task lists.

Learn Markdown course index — all 12 lessons in order.