codeblock

Codeblock refers to a section of text formatted to display programming code as plain text, preserving whitespace and using a monospaced font. Code blocks are used to present source code, commands, or terminal output in documentation, tutorials, and software interfaces. They improve readability and prevent code from being misinterpreted as ordinary prose.

In Markdown and similar markup languages, code blocks are created by enclosing content with fence markers, typically triple backticks or tildes. The opening marker may be followed by a language identifier to enable syntax highlighting in renderers. Some Markdown flavors also support indentation-based blocks, where lines indented by a fixed amount are treated as code. Inline code, by contrast, uses single backticks and appears within a sentence rather than as a block.

In HTML, code blocks are commonly constructed with pre and code elements. The pre element preserves whitespace and line breaks, while the code element marks the content as code. This combination is standard for long blocks of code within web documents and is often paired with styling and accessibility enhancements.

Beyond Markdown and HTML, many documentation systems, editors, and notebooks treat code blocks as discrete, copyable regions. They may offer features such as syntax highlighting, line numbering, and copy-to-clipboard buttons. Language hints, when provided, aid rendering and readability.

Best practices for codeblocks include specifying a language when possible to enable highlighting, preserving indentation exactly as written, and avoiding unnecessary changes to formatting. Code blocks should be concise, well-commented, and clearly separated from surrounding prose.