diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0ba79ce..79b2606 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -104,6 +104,12 @@ There is a markup language which makes writing long blog posts, memex entries, e
 // shorthand for level 4 heading
 {.heading text}
 
+// shorthand for tables
+{[column 1 header|column 2 header|column 3 header}
+{|simple data|{@bold data}|{*https://nilfm.cc|link data}}
+{|more|and more|and more data!}
+{;}
+
 // shorthand for publish date (renders as <time class='publish-date'>)
 {+2022-02-22}
 ```
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index d4a3c31..f0e7254 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ int clin(char *str, char c) {int i = -1; int j = 0; while(str[j] != '\0'){if(str
 /* clang-format on */
 
 int fpinject(FILE* f, Lexicon* l, char* filepath);
+int fptemplate(FILE*, Lexicon*, char*);
+int fpmetatemplate(FILE*, Lexicon*, char*);
 
 int error(char* msg, char* val) {
   printf("Error: %s(%s)\n", msg, val);
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ int gettwtxt(FILE* f) {
 
 void fpedited(FILE* f) {
   struct tm timebuf;
-  char strbuf[16] = "\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0";
+  char strbuf[16] = {0};
 
   timebuf = *localtime(&edittime);
   strftime(strbuf, 16, "%Y-%m-%d", &timebuf);
@@ -228,6 +230,69 @@ int fpimg(FILE* f, char* s) {
   return 1;
 }
 
+int fpthead(FILE* f, char* s) {
+  char sbuf[TAG_BODY_SIZE] = {0};
+  char* c = s;
+  int data = 0;
+
+  fputs("<table><thead><tr>\n", f);
+  while (*c) {
+    data = 1;
+    if (*c != '|') {
+      ccat(sbuf, *c);
+    } else {
+      fprintf(f, "<th>%s</th>\n", sbuf);
+      sbuf[0] = 0;
+    }
+    c++;
+  }
+  if (data) {
+    fprintf(f, "<th>%s</th>\n", sbuf);
+  }
+  fputs("</tr></thead>\n<tbody>", f);
+  return 1;
+}
+
+int fptbody(FILE* f, Lexicon* l, char* s) {
+  char sbuf[TAG_BODY_SIZE] = {0};
+  char* c = s;
+  int data = 0;
+  int bopen = 0;
+  int bclose = 0;
+
+  fputs("<tr>\n", f);
+  while (*c) {
+    data = 1;
+    if (*c == '{') {
+      bopen++;
+    }
+    if (*c == '}') {
+      bclose++;
+    }
+    if (*c != '|' || bopen != bclose) {
+      ccat(sbuf, *c);
+    } else {
+      fputs("<td>", f);
+      fpmetatemplate(f, l, sbuf);
+      fputs("</td>\n", f);
+      sbuf[0] = 0;
+    }
+    c++;
+  }
+  if (data) {
+    fputs("<td>", f);
+    fpmetatemplate(f, l, sbuf);
+    fputs("</td>\n", f);
+  }
+  fputs("</tr>", f);
+  return 1;
+}
+
+int fptfoot(FILE* f) {
+  fputs("</tbody></table>", f);
+  return 1;
+}
+
 int fphimg(FILE* f, char* s) {
   char id[1024] = {0};
   char href[1024] = {0};
@@ -321,9 +386,6 @@ int fpaudio(FILE* f, char* s) {
   return 1;
 }
 
-int fptemplate(FILE*, Lexicon*, char*);
-int fpmetatemplate(FILE*, Lexicon*, char*);
-
 int fppara(FILE* f, Lexicon* l, char* s) {
   fputs("<p>", f);
   fpmetatemplate(f, l, s);
@@ -465,6 +527,12 @@ int fptemplate(FILE* f, Lexicon* l, char* s) {
       return fpli(f, l, s + 1);
     case '&':
       return fppara(f, l, s + 1);
+    case '[':
+      return fpthead(f, s + 1);
+    case '|':
+      return fptbody(f, l, s + 1);
+    case ';':
+      return fptfoot(f);
   }
   if (s[0]) {
     target = findf(l, s);