---
id: "prereq-markdown"
type: "prereq"
source_timestamps: ["00:00:20", "00:05:51"]
tags: ["formatting"]
related: ["concept-icm"]
reason: "Markdown is the foundational syntax used to build the 'skills' and context files in ICM."
sources: ["video"]
sourceVaultSlug: "interpretible-context-methodology-icm-2026Jun02"
originDay: 1
---
# Familiarity with Markdown

## Why It's Required

The entire [[concept-icm-d1]] methodology relies on **Markdown** as the substrate for instructions, context, and skills. You should be comfortable with at least:

- Headings (`#`, `##`, `###`)
- Bullet and numbered lists
- Bold and italic emphasis
- Code fences and inline code
- Links and image syntax
- Optionally: front-matter (YAML at the top of files), tables, and footnotes

## Why Markdown Specifically

- Plain-text → version-controllable and diff-friendly
- Human-readable → low barrier for non-engineers
- Machine-parseable → LLMs handle markdown structure exceptionally well
- Portable → works in Obsidian, GitHub, IDEs, and editor of choice

Markdown is the lingua franca that makes [[framework-skill-creation]] and [[action-codify-voice]] possible without code.


## Related across days
- [[prereq-unix-pipelines]]
- [[concept-icm-d1]]
- [[framework-icm-architecture]]