MD027 - No multiple spaces after quote marker
April 30, 2026 · View on GitHub
Aliases: no-multiple-space-blockquote
What this rule does
Ensures quoted text has only one space after the > symbol, not multiple spaces.
Why this matters
- Consistency: Extra spaces create uneven indentation in quotes
- Readability: Consistent spacing makes quoted content easier to follow
- Standards: One space after > is the Markdown convention
Examples
✅ Correct
> This is a properly formatted quote.
> Each line has one space after the > symbol.
>
> Even with paragraph breaks.
> > Nested quotes also follow this rule.
> > Each level has one space.
❌ Incorrect
> This quote has two spaces after >
> This line has three spaces
> This line has four spaces
> > Nested quote with extra spaces
🔧 Fixed
> This quote has two spaces after >
> This line has three spaces
> This line has four spaces
> > Nested quote with extra spaces
Configuration
[MD027]
# Also flag blockquoted lines that introduce or continue a list item.
# Default: false (rumdl) — see "Known Behavioral Differences" in
# docs/markdownlint-comparison.md. The legacy snake_case key
# `list_items` is also accepted.
list-items = false
list-items
When true, the rule also flags blockquoted lines that introduce or continue a list item (for example, > - item or > more text directly after a list item). When false (rumdl default), such lines are skipped because the extra spaces are typically list-indentation rather than formatting noise.
This mirrors markdownlint's list_items option, but rumdl's default is false instead of true. Set list-items = true to opt into the strict markdownlint behavior. See the "Known Behavioral Differences" section of docs/markdownlint-comparison.md for the rationale.
Automatic fixes
This rule automatically removes extra spaces, leaving just one space after each > symbol.
Learn more
- CommonMark block quotes - Technical specification for quotes
- Markdown Guide - Blockquotes - Quote formatting guide