MARKDOWN / RELIABILITY AND STRUCTURE
Broken links, unsafe HTML, and linting
Learn how broken links, unsafe html, and linting works in Markdown, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.
What you will learn
- Explain broken links in Markdown using the correct mental model
- Trace a focused Markdown example and predict its result before execution
- Recognize a boundary case involving unsafe html and handle it deliberately
Understanding Broken links, unsafe HTML, and linting
Broken links, unsafe HTML, and linting belongs to the practical core of Markdown. Start by identifying the values or state involved and the rule that connects the input to the result.
Trace the example one operation at a time. Keep broken links visible in the code rather than hiding it behind an abstraction before the behavior is understood.
Test a normal case and a boundary case. The difference between the prediction and the observed result is the most useful signal for deciding what to review next.
Broken links, unsafe HTML, and linting is a defining part of practical Markdown work. Start by identifying the data or state involved, then trace the operation that changes or interprets it. Pay attention to the rules Markdown applies at this boundary, because those rules explain both the useful behavior and the common failure modes. This lesson keeps the example deliberately small, then connects it to organizing documentation sets and relative paths so the ideas form a coherent progression rather than a list of isolated syntax facts.
Worked examples
Broken links, unsafe HTML, and linting example
A focused Markdown example for broken links.
# A useful lesson
Write the idea, then show a small example.
<!-- Lesson 11: broken links. Change one value and predict the result before running it. -->Example explained
Line 1Identify where broken links appears in the Markdown example and name the data it operates on.
Line 2Trace the relevant Markdown rule one operation at a time, recording any state, type, or control-flow change.
Line 3Change one input or boundary condition, predict the result, and compare that prediction with the documented outcome.
Important notes
Keep the first broken links example small enough to trace completely.
Use the normal Markdown toolchain or browser workspace to compare the actual result with your prediction.
Common mistakes
Treating broken links as punctuation to memorize instead of a Markdown behavior to reason about.
Ignoring unsafe html until it appears in production data or a larger program.
Try it yourself
Change, predict, then run
Create a small Markdown example that demonstrates broken links. Add a normal case and a boundary case, write down the expected result for each, then explain which Markdown rule produces that result. Lesson 11 should remain small enough to trace without guessing.
Open Markdown workspaceCheck your understanding
What is the best first step when working with broken links?
- Identify the data and predict the result
- Add more abstraction immediately
- Ignore boundary cases
- Memorize punctuation only
Show answer
A clear input, operation, and predicted result create a testable mental model.