# MD027 - No multiple spaces after quote marker
Aliases: `no-multiple-space-blockquote`
## What this rule does
Ensures quoted text has only one space after the > symbol, not multiple spaces.
## Why this matters
- **Consistency**: Extra spaces create uneven indentation in quotes
- **Readability**: Consistent spacing makes quoted content easier to follow
- **Standards**: One space after > is the Markdown convention
## Examples
### ✅ Correct
```markdown
> This is a properly formatted quote.
> Each line has one space after the > symbol.
>
> Even with paragraph breaks.
> > Nested quotes also follow this rule.
> > Each level has one space.
```
### ❌ Incorrect
<!-- rumdl-disable MD027 -->
```markdown
> This quote has two spaces after >
> This line has three spaces
> This line has four spaces
> > Nested quote with extra spaces
```
### 🔧 Fixed
```markdown
> This quote has two spaces after >
> This line has three spaces
> This line has four spaces
> > Nested quote with extra spaces
```
## Configuration
```toml
[MD027]
# Also flag blockquoted lines that introduce or continue a list item.
# Default: false (rumdl) — see "Known Behavioral Differences" in
# docs/markdownlint-comparison.md. The legacy snake_case key
# `list_items` is also accepted.
list-items = false
```
### `list-items`
When `true`, the rule also flags blockquoted lines that introduce or continue a list item (for example, `> - item` or `> more text` directly after a list item). When `false` (rumdl default), such lines are skipped because the extra spaces are typically list-indentation rather than formatting noise.
This mirrors markdownlint's `list_items` option, but rumdl's default is `false` instead of `true`. Set `list-items = true` to opt into the strict markdownlint behavior. See the "Known Behavioral Differences" section of [docs/markdownlint-comparison.md](markdownlint-comparison.md) for the rationale.
## Automatic fixes
This rule automatically removes extra spaces, leaving just one space after each > symbol.
## Learn more
- [CommonMark block quotes](https://spec.commonmark.org/0.31.2/#block-quotes) - Technical specification for quotes
- [Markdown Guide - Blockquotes](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#blockquotes-1) - Quote formatting guide
## Related rules
- [MD028](md028.md) - No blank lines inside quotes
- [MD009](md009.md) - No trailing spaces
- [MD032](md032.md) - Lists should be surrounded by blank lines