Skip to content

MD032 - Separate lists with blank lines

Aliases: blanks-around-lists

What this rule does

Ensures lists have blank lines before and after them, making them visually distinct from surrounding content.

Why this matters

  • Reliable parsing: Many Markdown parsers require blank lines to properly recognize lists
  • Visual clarity: Blank lines make lists stand out from paragraphs
  • Better readability: Clear separation helps readers scan documents quickly
  • Consistent rendering: Prevents lists from merging with adjacent content

Examples

✅ Correct

Text before the list.

* Item 1
* Item 2
* Item 3

Text after the list.

❌ Incorrect

Text before the list.
* Item 1
* Item 2
* Item 3
Text after the list.

🔧 Fixed

Text before the list.

* Item 1
* Item 2
* Item 3

Text after the list.

Configuration

Option Type Default Description
allow-lazy-continuation boolean true Whether to allow lazy continuation (unindented text after list items)

Lazy continuation

By default, this rule allows "lazy continuation" - a CommonMark feature where unindented text following a list item becomes part of that list item:

1. List item
Some text that continues the list item.

When allow-lazy-continuation is set to false, the rule requires a blank line between the list item and any following unindented text:

[MD032]
allow-lazy-continuation = false

With this setting, the above example would trigger a warning and be auto-fixed to:

1. List item

Some text that follows the list.

This stricter mode is useful for teams who want to avoid ambiguity about whether text is part of a list item or separate content.

Automatic fixes

This rule will:

  • Add a blank line before lists that follow other content
  • Add a blank line after lists that precede other content
  • Handle nested lists correctly (only the outermost list needs surrounding blank lines)
  • When allow-lazy-continuation is false: add a blank line before unindented continuation text

Learn more