# Discourse Footnote
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533
**Category:** Plugin
**Tags:** official, footnote, included-in-core
**Created:** [April 4, 2018, 6:11am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533 "2018-04-04T06:11:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2018, 6:11am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/1 "2018-04-04T06:11:57Z")
| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| :discourse2: | **Summary** | **Discourse Footnote** allows users to create markdown footnotes in posts. |
| :open_book: | **Install Guide** | **This plugin is bundled with Discourse core**. There is no need to install the plugin separately. |
> [@](#):
>
> :discourse2: As this is an #official plugin maintained by the Discourse team, #Support, #Contribute > Bug, #Contribute > UX, and #Contribute > Feature requests can be made in the respective categories here on Meta, and tagged with the appropriate plugin tag. Click on a link below to get one started. :+1:
>
> [:question: **Support**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=6&body=%3E%20Before%20asking,%20did%20you%20search%20first%3F%20Press%20%F0%9F%94%8D%20at%20the%20upper%20right%20to%20search.&tags=footnote "Ask for support on configuring and using Discourse Footnote") [:bug: **Bug**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=1&tags=footnote "A bug report means something is broken, preventing normal/typical use of the plugin") [:eyes: **UX**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=9&tags=footnote "Discussion about the user interface of Discourse Footnote, and how features are presented (including language and UI elements)") [:bulb: **Feature**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=2&tags=footnote "Discussion about how existing Discourse Footnote features can be improved or enhanced, and how proposed new features could work")
### Enabling Footnote
The Footnote plugin is default enabled but can be disabled/enabled from the `admin/plugins` page:
### Features
Once enabled, you can add footnotes to your posts by typing them in like this:
```plaintext
A sentence that needs a footnote. ^[The footnote]
Another sentence that needs a footnote. ^[The second footnote]
```
Or like this:
```plaintext
A sentence that needs a footnote. [^1]
Another sentence that needs a footnote. [^2]
[^1]: The footnote
[^2]: The second footnote
```
You can mix and match both styles within a post, as well as use non-numbered anchors.
There are two ways to display the footnotes, controlled by the `display footnotes inline` admin setting:
> **Non-inline:**
>
> 
> **Inline:**
>
> A sentence that needs a footnote[[1]](#footnote-406238-1)
> Another sentence that needs a footnote[[2]](#footnote-406238-2)
The inline versions are both Quote and mobile-friendly.
### Settings
| Name | Description |
| --- | --- |
| enable markdown footnotes | enable footnote markdown on this site |
| display footnotes inline | enable inline expansion of footnotes |
> :discourse2: Hosted by us? This plugin is available on all of our hosting tiers [Footnote | Discourse - Civilized Discussion](https://www.discourse.org/plugins/footnote.html)
### Development History
Discourse footnote re-packages the [footnote markdown.it extension](https://github.com/markdown-it/markdown-it-footnote) by @Vitaly as a Discourse plugin.
* * *
1. The footnote [↩︎](#footnote-ref-406238-1)
2. The second footnote [↩︎](#footnote-ref-406238-2)
> Last edited by @tobiaseigen 2025-07-16T20:45:27Z
>
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:
---
### Author:  [@Kayla](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Kayla)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/58 "2022-09-29T20:51:38Z")
> [@sam](#):
>
> The general consensus is that the extension should allow for syntax such as:
>
> ```plaintext
> some deep thought who needs a reference[^1]
>
> [^1]: Here's the reference.
>
> ```
Just a heads up that the extension does not seem to all allow for the regular markdown for footnotes using [^1]. I do not get formatted footnotes unless I use the “inline” formatting, like so:
> [@sam](#):
>
> You can also use “inline” footnotes — not the inline expansion, but the note itself. Like this:
>
> ```plaintext
> More wise sayings ^[Lincoln, or Einstein, or something]
>
> ```
Enabling footnotes using inline footnote formatting results in auto-numbered footnotes which then appear below the post together, while also-enabling inline expansion enables the ellipsis tooltip-like experience with no footnotes appearing below the post. If you have the inline expansion option enabled, your post preview window will look like traditional numbered footnotes, but you’ll see the inline expanded effect after publishing.
I appreciate the automatically-numbered footnotes using the inline formatting, it just took me a few tries to figure out how I should actually format the markdown and which options would get them to behave as desired. Hopefully this comment helps someone else avoid the same confusion.
Edit to add: The inline expansion option is how your footnotes will appear on mobile, regardless of whether that option is enabled (for desktop also).
---
### Author:  [@denvergeeks](https://meta.discourse.org/u/denvergeeks)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2023, 8:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/60 "2023-05-10T08:44:19Z")
#### Recipe for allowing your users to create inline popup content using this Discourse Footnote Plugin:
Combine this Plugin with the [Composer Footnote Button Theme Component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/composer-footnote-button/243487) [[1]](#footnote-1287388-1) (it provides a button in the Composer/Editor to create footnotes)
You can put anything inside the popups, including HTML.
Examples:
**Text** [[2]](#footnote-1287388-2)
* * *
**Text and Image Upload** [[3]](#footnote-1287388-3)
* * *
**HTML Content** [[4]](#footnote-1287388-4)
* * *
1. (install them both) [↩︎](#footnote-ref-1287388-1)
2. Plain text here. [↩︎](#footnote-ref-1287388-2)
3. Text and Image Upload
4.
---
### Author:  [@jrgong](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jrgong)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/66 "2023-08-21T17:04:43Z")
Does the footnote plugin also work on public pages? In my specific case I want it NOT to work on public pages and only be visible in the regular topic view (to use it for internal notes etc)
---
### Author:  [@denvergeeks](https://meta.discourse.org/u/denvergeeks)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/67 "2023-08-21T18:33:18Z")
@jrgong – no…
> [@Adding DiscoTOC to Published Pages](https://meta.discourse.org/t/adding-discotoc-to-published-pages/246402/3):
>
> at the moment page publishing is not designed to support theme components or anything using plugin api and especially decorateCooked. Not saying this is impossible, but we didn’t work on it and at this point I dont know if we will.
However, there is [this alternative approach](https://meta.discourse.org/t/page-publishing/151971/145) for which I’m in the process of developing a Theme Component… [over on Github](https://github.com/denvergeeks/discourse-hide-elements-with-tags).
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 12:54pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/68 "2023-10-24T12:54:21Z")
Looks like this got moved to core 17 hours ago.
I’ll let someone else update this appropriately.
```plaintext
Translation missing: en.The discourse-footnote plugin has been integrated into discourse core. Please remove the plugin from your app.yml and rebuild your container.
```
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/23995](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/23995)
---
### Author:  [@LoveMCJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/LoveMCJ)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 1:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/69 "2023-10-24T13:40:31Z")
After moving to core,
I deleted the plugin from app.yml and ran ./launcher rebuild app,
but the settings remain on the plugin page. Is it okay to just leave it like this?
---
### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/70 "2023-10-24T13:45:16Z")
That’s the new one. :+1: Here’s a shot of both for comparison:
---
### Author:  [@LoveMCJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/LoveMCJ)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 1:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/71 "2023-10-24T13:52:42Z")
> [@JammyDodger](#):
>
> That’s the new one. :+1: Here’s a shot of both for comparison:
That’s a really nice sound! :+1: Thank you for sharing. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:
---
### Author:  [@blake](https://meta.discourse.org/u/blake)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/72 "2023-10-24T15:50:42Z")
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> I’ll let someone else update this appropriately.
>
> `Translation missing: en.The discourse-footnote...`
Thanks for mentioning this, I just pushed a fix.
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/73 "2023-10-24T15:56:34Z")
The other issue is that you don’t need to install the plugin anymore, and if you have installed it, you need not to include that `git clone` in your yml file.
---
### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 3:59pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/74 "2023-10-24T15:59:22Z")
I was too slow in updating the topic with the new info and you beat me to it. :slight_smile:
I’ll add my bit now anyway…
* * *
:information_source: **Discourse Footnote** has now been bundled with Discourse core, so this plugin will no longer need to be installed separately. :partying_face:
If you self-host you should see some information on your dashboard about removing it from your `app.yml`.
> :discourse2: Hosted by us? This change will not affect you in any way. :+1: You can continue to enjoy this plugin and not worry about a thing.
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/75 "2023-10-24T16:17:57Z")
Yeah. Sorry about that.
That’s awesome! I knew you had a plan. I should have just waited, as the other thing I pointed out was, in fact, a problem that was, in fact, dealt with by someone else, and I should have just been patient since I knew you were going to hangle it. (And it’s so pretty, too!).
It’s still been less than 24 hours, so, you know, that’s pretty good too.
Thanks.
---
### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2023, 8:13am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/76 "2023-12-06T08:13:15Z")
3 posts were split to a new topic: [Add Footnote option to the composer gear menu](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-footnote-option-to-the-composer-gear-menu/287688)
---
### Author:  [@Turtle](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Turtle)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2025, 1:52am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/77 "2025-02-13T01:52:16Z")
Is there a way to get the footnote to format normally? So it isn’t inline with the three dots, like this?[[1]](#footnote-1709744-1)
And instead have it look like this?
* * *
1. This looks weird, to me [↩︎](#footnote-ref-1709744-1)
---
### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2025, 1:58am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/78 "2025-02-13T01:58:07Z")
> [@Discourse](#):
>
> display footnotes inline
Is it this setting?
---
### Author:  [@Turtle](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Turtle)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/79 "2025-03-08T15:20:37Z")
Yeah but I meant as a regular user, not an admin changing a setting.
---
### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/80 "2025-03-08T16:54:24Z")
No, there isn’t user setting for that. Only global one.
---
### Author:  [@kiefferr](https://meta.discourse.org/u/kiefferr)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/81 "2025-03-30T18:15:53Z")
I notice that footnoting does not allow the use of much common markdown syntax within the footnote brackets^[Ex: This is within a footnote bracket, but the layout breaks whenever I introduce paragraphs, headers, lists, etc.
Here is a paragraph break.]
Not a huge deal, but it certainly limits the functionality of what you can put in the footnote!
---
### Author:  [@Arkshine](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Arkshine)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-footnote/84533/82 "2025-03-30T19:23:49Z")
You can, make sure to indent with a least 4 spaces.
For example:
```plaintext
Here is a footnote reference[^1], and another[^longnote].
[^1]: Here is the footnote.
[^longnote]: Here's one with multiple blocks.
Subsequent paragraphs are indented to show that they
belong to the previous footnote.
* item1
* item 2
**More** text
italic
```
Here is a footnote reference[[1]](#footnote-1743516-1), and another[[2]](#footnote-1743516-2).
Renders to:
* * *
1. Here is the footnote. [↩︎](#footnote-ref-1743516-1)
2. Here’s one with multiple blocks.