Productive ToolboxAdd Prefix and Suffix to Lines
Add text to the start or end of every line, number a list, or turn lines into Markdown bullets, checklists, quoted CSV values or HTML list items.
Examples
Markdown Bullet List
Numbered List
Checklist
CSV Format
Related tools
Formatting a List Line by Line
Lists copied from a spreadsheet column, an email or a text file usually need the same few characters added to every line before they can be used somewhere else: a dash for a Markdown list, quotes and commas for code, or tags for HTML. Doing it by hand is slow and easy to get wrong on line 47 of 80.
result = prefix + [number] + line + suffix
Numbering is added after the prefix, so a prefix of Step with numbering and a colon gives Step 1: Preheat the oven. Blank lines are left untouched and are not counted.
Prefix and Suffix Recipes
| To get | Prefix | Suffix | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markdown bullet list | - | – | - apples - bananas |
| Markdown checklist | - [ ] | – | - [ ] apples - [ ] bananas |
| JSON or Python array items | " | ", (no comma on last line) | "apples", "bananas" |
| SQL IN (...) values | ' | ', (no comma on last line) | 'apples', 'bananas' |
| HTML list items | <li> | </li> | <li>apples</li> <li>bananas</li> |
| Email or chat quote | > | – | > apples > bananas |
| Code comments | // | – | // apples // bananas |
| Hashtags | # | – | #apples #bananas |
| Full URLs from paths | https://example.com/ | – | https://example.com/apples https://example.com/bananas |
How to Add a Prefix or Suffix to Every Line
- 1Paste your list: Paste one item per line, from a spreadsheet column, a document or a text file; Windows and Mac line breaks both work.
- 2Choose a template or type your own: Pick Markdown bullet, numbered list, checklist, quote, code comment, CSV, quoted list or HTML <li>, or type any prefix and suffix yourself.
- 3Fine-tune the list: Turn on numbering with a start number and separator, remove empty lines, trim spaces, and drop the trailing comma from the last line.
- 4Copy the result: The formatted list updates as you type; copy it or download it as a TXT file.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add quotes and commas to each line?
Choose the "Quoted", list template. It wraps every line in double quotes and adds a comma, leaving the comma off the last line: apples, bananas and cherries become "apples", "bananas", "cherries", ready to paste into a JSON array, a Python list or a SQL IN (...) clause. For SQL, which uses single quotes, type ' as the prefix and ', as the suffix.
How do I number every line of a list?
Tick Enable numbering or pick the Numbered List template. You can start from any number and choose 1. 1) 1- or 1: as the style. Empty lines are skipped, so the numbers stay in sequence.
Can I add a prefix to lines in Excel or Google Sheets instead?
Yes, with a formula: ="- "&A1 in Excel or Google Sheets adds a prefix, and =A1&"," adds a suffix; then fill the formula down. This tool is quicker for a one-off list and keeps line breaks and blank lines as they are.
What happens to blank lines?
They are kept blank, without a prefix, suffix or number, so a list split into groups keeps its layout. Tick Remove empty lines to drop them altogether.
How do I make a Markdown checklist?
Use the Checklist template, which starts every line with - [ ] . GitHub, GitLab, Obsidian and many other Markdown editors show these as tick boxes; change [ ] to [x] to mark an item done.
Is my list uploaded anywhere?
No. We do not collect or store what you enter.
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