Notably those posting using mail, be aware that the forum handles your message as markdown. In most cases the result is not too bad even if you are not aware of this. It is wise to respect a few rules though:
When using code blocks, enclose them using three backticks (```) or indent the block with 4 spaces. That way your formatting is maintained and is represented correctly. See: Language highlighting for examples.
For inline code that contains markdown special characters, use one (`) or two(``) backticks to avoid e.g., (*) from starting emphasized text.
The opening three backticks can also be followed by the name of the language for syntax highlighting. E.g. ```prolog or ```shell. Preventing syntax highlighting, e.g. when the code block is a top-level query where highlighting may not work as expected, can be done using ```text.
