# Tables > [!abstract] What this note is > How to make tables, align columns, and know when *not* to use a table. ## Basic table ```markdown | Name | Role | | ----- | ------------ | | Argus | Good boy | | Jeff | Argus's person | ``` Renders as: | Name | Role | | ----- | ------------ | | Argus | Good boy | | Jeff | Argus's person | Rules: the header row comes first, the `---` row is mandatory, and pipes `|` separate cells. The columns **don't need to line up** in the raw text — ragged pipes render fine. ## Alignment Colons in the divider row control alignment: ```markdown | Left | Center | Right | | :--- | :----: | ----: | ``` ## Quality-of-life - Obsidian 1.5+ has a visual table editor: right-click a table in Live Preview to add/remove rows and columns without touching pipes. - To put a literal `|` inside a cell, escape it: `\|`. - Line breaks inside a cell: use `<br>`. > [!tip] When not to use a table > Tables are for data that's genuinely two-dimensional (thing × property). For anything you'll write sentences in, use headings and lists — tables are miserable to edit on mobile and in diffs. ## Related - [[Markdown Basics]] - [[Markdown Reference Index]]