MD010 - Use spaces instead of tabs¶
Aliases: no-hard-tabs
What this rule does¶
Replaces tab characters with spaces to ensure consistent indentation across all editors and platforms.
Why this matters¶
- Consistency: Tabs display differently in different editors (2, 4, or 8 spaces wide)
- Team collaboration: Mixed tabs and spaces create confusing indentation and merge conflicts
- Tool compatibility: Many Markdown tools and platforms expect spaces for proper formatting
- Readability: Consistent spacing makes documents easier to read and maintain
Examples¶
✅ Correct¶
* Shopping list
* Fruits
* Apples
* Bananas
* Vegetables
* Carrots
* Broccoli
Remember to check for freshness!
❌ Incorrect¶
* Shopping list
* Fruits
* Apples
* Bananas
* Vegetables
* Carrots
* Broccoli
Remember to check for freshness!
🔧 Fixed¶
* Shopping list
* Fruits
* Apples
* Bananas
* Vegetables
* Carrots
* Broccoli
Remember to check for freshness!
Configuration¶
Configuration options explained¶
spaces_per_tab: How many spaces to use when replacing each tab character
Automatic fixes¶
This rule automatically replaces each tab character with the configured number of spaces (default: 4). This ensures your document looks the same in every editor.
Learn more¶
- Tabs vs Spaces - Why spaces are preferred in Markdown
- CommonMark specification - Technical details about tab handling