mdrefine

structure/emphasis-heading ​

Reports a paragraph that consists only of emphasized or strong text, such as **Installation**, which reads as a heading but is not one: the outline and a table of contents leave it out, links cannot reach it by an anchor, and screen readers do not announce it as a heading. If it names a section, make it a heading.

Problem rule, reported only. Presets: none. Dialects: all. Options: punctuation.

Reported:

markdown
**Installation**

Run the installer.

Not reported:

markdown
## Installation

Run the installer.

**Close other programs first.**

punctuation is a string of characters: text that ends with one of them is a sentence, and is not reported. The default, .,;:!?。，；：！？, is markdownlint's; with "", such text is reported whatever it ends with.

Edge cases and advanced usage ​

Details: making the paragraph a heading changes the outline, so the rule only reports. Only the document's own paragraphs are checked, whatever their length and however their lines wrap. The emphasis may hold text, code, math, strikethrough, Obsidian highlights, and further emphasis. HTML tags and comments beside it do not count, nor does an Obsidian block identifier such as ^setup after it.

Not checked:

  • Emphasized text in a list item, block quote, callout, alert, VitePress container such as ::: tip, table cell, or footnote, where it labels the content beside it.
  • A paragraph with a link, an image, or a line break inside the emphasis, or other text beside it.