Pandoc's Markdown¶
Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jgm/pandoc/3.1.1/MANUAL.txt
Pandoc understands an extended and slightly revised version of John
Gruber's Markdown
syntax. This document explains the syntax, noting differences from
original Markdown. Except where noted, these differences can be
suppressed by using the markdown_strict format instead of markdown.
Extensions can be enabled or disabled to specify the behavior more
granularly. They are described in the following. See also
Extensions above, for extensions that work also on other
formats.
Philosophy¶
Markdown is designed to be easy to write, and, even more importantly, easy to read:
A Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it's been marked up with tags or formatting instructions. -- John Gruber
This principle has guided pandoc's decisions in finding syntax for tables, footnotes, and other extensions.
There is, however, one respect in which pandoc's aims are different from the original aims of Markdown. Whereas Markdown was originally designed with HTML generation in mind, pandoc is designed for multiple output formats. Thus, while pandoc allows the embedding of raw HTML, it discourages it, and provides other, non-HTMLish ways of representing important document elements like definition lists, tables, mathematics, and footnotes.
Paragraphs¶
A paragraph is one or more lines of text followed by one or more blank lines. Newlines are treated as spaces, so you can reflow your paragraphs as you like. If you need a hard line break, put two or more spaces at the end of a line.
Extension: escaped_line_breaks¶
A backslash followed by a newline is also a hard line break. Note: in multiline and grid table cells, this is the only way to create a hard line break, since trailing spaces in the cells are ignored.
Headings¶
There are two kinds of headings: Setext and ATX.
Setext-style headings¶
A setext-style heading is a line of text "underlined" with a row of =
signs (for a level-one heading) or - signs (for a level-two heading):
A level-one heading
===================
A level-two heading
-------------------
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(1, ('a-level-one-heading', [], []), [Str('A'), Space(), Str('level-one'), Space(), Str('heading')]), Header(2, ('a-level-two-heading', [], []), [Str('A'), Space(), Str('level-two'), Space(), Str('heading')])])
The heading text can contain inline formatting, such as emphasis (see Inline formatting, below).
ATX-style headings¶
An ATX-style heading consists of one to six # signs and a line of
text, optionally followed by any number of # signs. The number of #
signs at the beginning of the line is the heading level:
## A level-two heading
### A level-three heading ###
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(2, ('a-level-two-heading', [], []), [Str('A'), Space(), Str('level-two'), Space(), Str('heading')]), Header(3, ('a-level-three-heading', [], []), [Str('A'), Space(), Str('level-three'), Space(), Str('heading')])])
As with setext-style headings, the heading text can contain formatting:
# A level-one heading with a [link](/url) and *emphasis*
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(1, ('a-level-one-heading-with-a-link-and-emphasis', [], []), [Str('A'), Space(), Str('level-one'), Space(), Str('heading'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('link')], ('/url', '')), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Emph([Str('emphasis')])])])
Extension: blank_before_header¶
Original Markdown syntax does not require a blank line before a heading.
Pandoc does require this (except, of course, at the beginning of the
document). The reason for the requirement is that it is all too easy for
a # to end up at the beginning of a line by accident (perhaps through
line wrapping). Consider, for example:
I like several of their flavors of ice cream:
#22, for example, and #5.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('I'), Space(), Str('like'), Space(), Str('several'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('their'), Space(), Str('flavors'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('ice'), Space(), Str('cream:'), SoftBreak(), Str('#22,'), Space(), Str('for'), Space(), Str('example,'), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('#5.')])])
Extension: space_in_atx_header¶
Many Markdown implementations do not require a space between the opening
#s of an ATX heading and the heading text, so that #5 bolt and
#hashtag count as headings. With this extension, pandoc does require
the space.
Heading identifiers¶
See also the auto_identifiers extension
above.
Extension: header_attributes¶
Headings can be assigned attributes using this syntax at the end of the line containing the heading text:
{#identifier .class .class key=value key=value}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('{#identifier'), Space(), Str('.class'), Space(), Str('.class'), Space(), Str('key=value'), Space(), Str('key=value}')])])
Thus, for example, the following headings will all be assigned the
identifier foo:
# My heading {#foo}
## My heading ## {#foo}
My other heading {#foo}
---------------
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(1, ('foo', [], []), [Str('My'), Space(), Str('heading')]), Header(2, ('foo', [], []), [Str('My'), Space(), Str('heading')]), Header(2, ('foo', [], []), [Str('My'), Space(), Str('other'), Space(), Str('heading')])])
(This syntax is compatible with PHP Markdown Extra.)
Note that although this syntax allows assignment of classes and key/value attributes, writers generally don't use all of this information. Identifiers, classes, and key/value attributes are used in HTML and HTML-based formats such as EPUB and slidy. Identifiers are used for labels and link anchors in the LaTeX, ConTeXt, Textile, Jira markup, and AsciiDoc writers.
Headings with the class unnumbered will not be numbered, even if
--number-sections is specified. A single hyphen (-) in an attribute
context is equivalent to .unnumbered, and preferable in non-English
documents. So,
# My heading {-}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(1, ('my-heading', ['unnumbered'], []), [Str('My'), Space(), Str('heading')])])
is just the same as
# My heading {.unnumbered}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(1, ('my-heading', ['unnumbered'], []), [Str('My'), Space(), Str('heading')])])
If the unlisted class is present in addition to unnumbered, the
heading will not be included in a table of contents. (Currently this
feature is only implemented for certain formats: those based on LaTeX
and HTML, PowerPoint, and RTF.)
Extension: implicit_header_references¶
Pandoc behaves as if reference links have been defined for each heading. So, to link to a heading
# Heading identifiers in HTML
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(1, ('heading-identifiers-in-html', [], []), [Str('Heading'), Space(), Str('identifiers'), Space(), Str('in'), Space(), Str('HTML')])])
you can simply write
[Heading identifiers in HTML]
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('[Heading'), Space(), Str('identifiers'), Space(), Str('in'), Space(), Str('HTML]')])])
or
[Heading identifiers in HTML][]
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('[Heading'), Space(), Str('identifiers'), Space(), Str('in'), Space(), Str('HTML][]')])])
or
[the section on heading identifiers][heading identifiers in
HTML]
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('[the'), Space(), Str('section'), Space(), Str('on'), Space(), Str('heading'), Space(), Str('identifiers][heading'), Space(), Str('identifiers'), Space(), Str('in'), SoftBreak(), Str('HTML]')])])
instead of giving the identifier explicitly:
[Heading identifiers in HTML](#heading-identifiers-in-html)
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Link(('', [], []), [Str('Heading'), Space(), Str('identifiers'), Space(), Str('in'), Space(), Str('HTML')], ('#heading-identifiers-in-html', ''))])])
If there are multiple headings with identical text, the corresponding reference will link to the first one only, and you will need to use explicit links to link to the others, as described above.
Like regular reference links, these references are case-insensitive.
Explicit link reference definitions always take priority over implicit
heading references. So, in the following example, the link will point to
bar, not to #foo:
# Foo
[foo]: bar
See [foo]
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Header(1, ('foo', [], []), [Str('Foo')]), Para([Str('See'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('foo')], ('bar', ''))])])
Block quotations¶
Markdown uses email conventions for quoting blocks of text. A block
quotation is one or more paragraphs or other block elements (such as
lists or headings), with each line preceded by a > character and an
optional space. (The > need not start at the left margin, but it
should not be indented more than three spaces.)
> This is a block quote. This
> paragraph has two lines.
>
> 1. This is a list inside a block quote.
> 2. Second item.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BlockQuote([Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote.'), Space(), Str('This'), SoftBreak(), Str('paragraph'), Space(), Str('has'), Space(), Str('two'), Space(), Str('lines.')]), OrderedList((1, Decimal(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('list'), Space(), Str('inside'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote.')])], [Plain([Str('Second'), Space(), Str('item.')])]])])])
A "lazy" form, which requires the > character only on the first line
of each block, is also allowed:
> This is a block quote. This
paragraph has two lines.
> 1. This is a list inside a block quote.
2. Second item.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BlockQuote([Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote.'), Space(), Str('This'), SoftBreak(), Str('paragraph'), Space(), Str('has'), Space(), Str('two'), Space(), Str('lines.')])]), BlockQuote([OrderedList((1, Decimal(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('list'), Space(), Str('inside'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote.')])], [Plain([Str('Second'), Space(), Str('item.')])]])])])
Among the block elements that can be contained in a block quote are other block quotes. That is, block quotes can be nested:
> This is a block quote.
>
> > A block quote within a block quote.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BlockQuote([Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote.')]), BlockQuote([Para([Str('A'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote'), Space(), Str('within'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote.')])])])])
If the > character is followed by an optional space, that space will
be considered part of the block quote marker and not part of the
indentation of the contents. Thus, to put an indented code block in a
block quote, you need five spaces after the >:
> code
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BlockQuote([CodeBlock(('', [], []), 'code')])])
Extension: blank_before_blockquote¶
Original Markdown syntax does not require a blank line before a block
quote. Pandoc does require this (except, of course, at the beginning of
the document). The reason for the requirement is that it is all too easy
for a > to end up at the beginning of a line by accident (perhaps
through line wrapping). So, unless the markdown_strict format is used,
the following does not produce a nested block quote in pandoc:
> This is a block quote.
>> Not nested, since `blank_before_blockquote` is enabled by default
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BlockQuote([Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('quote.'), SoftBreak(), Str('>'), Space(), Str('Not'), Space(), Str('nested,'), Space(), Str('since'), Space(), Code(('', [], []), 'blank_before_blockquote'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('enabled'), Space(), Str('by'), Space(), Str('default')])])])
Verbatim (code) blocks¶
Indented code blocks¶
A block of text indented four spaces (or one tab) is treated as verbatim text: that is, special characters do not trigger special formatting, and all spaces and line breaks are preserved. For example,
if (a > 3) {
moveShip(5 * gravity, DOWN);
}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('', [], []), 'if (a > 3) {\n moveShip(5 * gravity, DOWN);\n}')])
The initial (four space or one tab) indentation is not considered part of the verbatim text, and is removed in the output.
Note: blank lines in the verbatim text need not begin with four spaces.
Fenced code blocks¶
Extension: fenced_code_blocks¶
In addition to standard indented code blocks, pandoc supports fenced
code blocks. These begin with a row of three or more tildes (~) and
end with a row of tildes that must be at least as long as the starting
row. Everything between these lines is treated as code. No indentation
is necessary:
~~~~~~~
if (a > 3) {
moveShip(5 * gravity, DOWN);
}
~~~~~~~
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('', [], []), 'if (a > 3) {\n moveShip(5 * gravity, DOWN);\n}')])
Like regular code blocks, fenced code blocks must be separated from surrounding text by blank lines.
If the code itself contains a row of tildes or backticks, just use a longer row of tildes or backticks at the start and end:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
code including tildes
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('', [], []), '~~~~~~~~~~\ncode including tildes\n~~~~~~~~~~')])
Extension: backtick_code_blocks¶
Same as fenced_code_blocks, but uses backticks (`) instead of
tildes (~).
Extension: fenced_code_attributes¶
Optionally, you may attach attributes to fenced or backtick code block using this syntax:
~~~~ {#mycode .haskell .numberLines startFrom="100"}
qsort [] = []
qsort (x:xs) = qsort (filter (< x) xs) ++ [x] ++
qsort (filter (>= x) xs)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('mycode', ['haskell', 'numberLines'], [('startFrom', '100')]), 'qsort [] = []\nqsort (x:xs) = qsort (filter (< x) xs) ++ [x] ++\n qsort (filter (>= x) xs)')])
Here mycode is an identifier, haskell and numberLines are classes,
and startFrom is an attribute with value 100. Some output formats
can use this information to do syntax highlighting. Currently, the only
output formats that use this information are HTML, LaTeX, Docx, Ms, and
PowerPoint. If highlighting is supported for your output format and
language, then the code block above will appear highlighted, with
numbered lines. (To see which languages are supported, type
pandoc --list-highlight-languages.) Otherwise, the code block above
will appear as follows:
<pre id="mycode" class="haskell numberLines" startFrom="100">
<code>
...
</code>
</pre>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('html'), '<pre id="mycode" class="haskell numberLines" startFrom="100">\n <code>\n ...\n </code>\n</pre>')])
The numberLines (or number-lines) class will cause the lines of the
code block to be numbered, starting with 1 or the value of the
startFrom attribute. The lineAnchors (or line-anchors) class will
cause the lines to be clickable anchors in HTML output.
A shortcut form can also be used for specifying the language of the code block:
```haskell
qsort [] = []
```
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('', ['haskell'], []), 'qsort [] = []')])
This is equivalent to:
``` {.haskell}
qsort [] = []
```
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('', ['haskell'], []), 'qsort [] = []')])
This shortcut form may be combined with attributes:
```haskell {.numberLines}
qsort [] = []
```
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('', ['haskell', 'numberLines'], []), 'qsort [] = []')])
Which is equivalent to:
``` {.haskell .numberLines}
qsort [] = []
```
Pandoc(Meta({}), [CodeBlock(('', ['haskell', 'numberLines'], []), 'qsort [] = []')])
If the fenced_code_attributes extension is disabled, but input
contains class attribute(s) for the code block, the first class
attribute will be printed after the opening fence as a bare word.
To prevent all highlighting, use the --no-highlight flag. To set the
highlighting style, use --highlight-style. For more information on
highlighting, see Syntax highlighting, below.
Line blocks¶
Extension: line_blocks¶
A line block is a sequence of lines beginning with a vertical bar (|)
followed by a space. The division into lines will be preserved in the
output, as will any leading spaces; otherwise, the lines will be
formatted as Markdown. This is useful for verse and addresses:
| The limerick packs laughs anatomical
| In space that is quite economical.
| But the good ones I've seen
| So seldom are clean
| And the clean ones so seldom are comical
| 200 Main St.
| Berkeley, CA 94718
Pandoc(Meta({}), [LineBlock([[Str('The'), Space(), Str('limerick'), Space(), Str('packs'), Space(), Str('laughs'), Space(), Str('anatomical')], [Str('In'), Space(), Str('space'), Space(), Str('that'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('quite'), Space(), Str('economical.')], [Str('\xa0\xa0\xa0But'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('good'), Space(), Str('ones'), Space(), Str('I’ve'), Space(), Str('seen')], [Str('\xa0\xa0\xa0So'), Space(), Str('seldom'), Space(), Str('are'), Space(), Str('clean')], [Str('And'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('clean'), Space(), Str('ones'), Space(), Str('so'), Space(), Str('seldom'), Space(), Str('are'), Space(), Str('comical')]]), LineBlock([[Str('200'), Space(), Str('Main'), Space(), Str('St.')], [Str('Berkeley,'), Space(), Str('CA'), Space(), Str('94718')]])])
The lines can be hard-wrapped if needed, but the continuation line must begin with a space.
| The Right Honorable Most Venerable and Righteous Samuel L.
Constable, Jr.
| 200 Main St.
| Berkeley, CA 94718
Pandoc(Meta({}), [LineBlock([[Str('The'), Space(), Str('Right'), Space(), Str('Honorable'), Space(), Str('Most'), Space(), Str('Venerable'), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('Righteous'), Space(), Str('Samuel'), Space(), Str('L.'), Space(), Str('Constable,'), Space(), Str('Jr.')], [Str('200'), Space(), Str('Main'), Space(), Str('St.')], [Str('Berkeley,'), Space(), Str('CA'), Space(), Str('94718')]])])
Inline formatting (such as emphasis) is allowed in the content, but not block-level formatting (such as block quotes or lists).
This syntax is borrowed from reStructuredText.
Lists¶
Bullet lists¶
A bullet list is a list of bulleted list items. A bulleted list item
begins with a bullet (*, +, or -). Here is a simple example:
* one
* two
* three
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('one')])], [Plain([Str('two')])], [Plain([Str('three')])]])])
This will produce a "compact" list. If you want a "loose" list, in which each item is formatted as a paragraph, put spaces between the items:
* one
* two
* three
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Para([Str('one')])], [Para([Str('two')])], [Para([Str('three')])]])])
The bullets need not be flush with the left margin; they may be indented one, two, or three spaces. The bullet must be followed by whitespace.
List items look best if subsequent lines are flush with the first line (after the bullet):
* here is my first
list item.
* and my second.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('my'), Space(), Str('first'), SoftBreak(), Str('list'), Space(), Str('item.')])], [Plain([Str('and'), Space(), Str('my'), Space(), Str('second.')])]])])
But Markdown also allows a "lazy" format:
* here is my first
list item.
* and my second.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('my'), Space(), Str('first'), SoftBreak(), Str('list'), Space(), Str('item.')])], [Plain([Str('and'), Space(), Str('my'), Space(), Str('second.')])]])])
Block content in list items¶
A list item may contain multiple paragraphs and other block-level content. However, subsequent paragraphs must be preceded by a blank line and indented to line up with the first non-space content after the list marker.
* First paragraph.
Continued.
* Second paragraph. With a code block, which must be indented
eight spaces:
{ code }
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Para([Str('First'), Space(), Str('paragraph.')]), Para([Str('Continued.')])], [Para([Str('Second'), Space(), Str('paragraph.'), Space(), Str('With'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('code'), Space(), Str('block,'), Space(), Str('which'), Space(), Str('must'), Space(), Str('be'), Space(), Str('indented'), SoftBreak(), Str('eight'), Space(), Str('spaces:')]), CodeBlock(('', [], []), '{ code }')]])])
Exception: if the list marker is followed by an indented code block, which must begin 5 spaces after the list marker, then subsequent paragraphs must begin two columns after the last character of the list marker:
* code
continuation paragraph
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[CodeBlock(('', [], []), 'code'), Plain([Str('continuation'), Space(), Str('paragraph')])]])])
List items may include other lists. In this case the preceding blank line is optional. The nested list must be indented to line up with the first non-space character after the list marker of the containing list item.
* fruits
+ apples
- macintosh
- red delicious
+ pears
+ peaches
* vegetables
+ broccoli
+ chard
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('fruits')]), BulletList([[Plain([Str('apples')]), BulletList([[Plain([Str('macintosh')])], [Plain([Str('red'), Space(), Str('delicious')])]])], [Plain([Str('pears')])], [Plain([Str('peaches')])]])], [Plain([Str('vegetables')]), BulletList([[Plain([Str('broccoli')])], [Plain([Str('chard')])]])]])])
As noted above, Markdown allows you to write list items "lazily," instead of indenting continuation lines. However, if there are multiple paragraphs or other blocks in a list item, the first line of each must be indented.
+ A lazy, lazy, list
item.
+ Another one; this looks
bad but is legal.
Second paragraph of second
list item.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Para([Str('A'), Space(), Str('lazy,'), Space(), Str('lazy,'), Space(), Str('list'), SoftBreak(), Str('item.')])], [Para([Str('Another'), Space(), Str('one;'), Space(), Str('this'), Space(), Str('looks'), SoftBreak(), Str('bad'), Space(), Str('but'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('legal.')]), Para([Str('Second'), Space(), Str('paragraph'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('second'), SoftBreak(), Str('list'), Space(), Str('item.')])]])])
Ordered lists¶
Ordered lists work just like bulleted lists, except that the items begin with enumerators rather than bullets.
In original Markdown, enumerators are decimal numbers followed by a period and a space. The numbers themselves are ignored, so there is no difference between this list:
1. one
2. two
3. three
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((1, Decimal(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('one')])], [Plain([Str('two')])], [Plain([Str('three')])]])])
and this one:
5. one
7. two
1. three
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((5, Decimal(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('one')])], [Plain([Str('two')])], [Plain([Str('three')])]])])
Extension: fancy_lists¶
Unlike original Markdown, pandoc allows ordered list items to be marked with uppercase and lowercase letters and roman numerals, in addition to Arabic numerals. List markers may be enclosed in parentheses or followed by a single right-parenthesis or period. They must be separated from the text that follows by at least one space, and, if the list marker is a capital letter with a period, by at least two spaces.1
The fancy_lists extension also allows '#' to be used as an ordered
list marker in place of a numeral:
#. one
#. two
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((1, DefaultStyle(), DefaultDelim()), [[Plain([Str('one')])], [Plain([Str('two')])]])])
Extension: startnum¶
Pandoc also pays attention to the type of list marker used, and to the starting number, and both of these are preserved where possible in the output format. Thus, the following yields a list with numbers followed by a single parenthesis, starting with 9, and a sublist with lowercase roman numerals:
9) Ninth
10) Tenth
11) Eleventh
i. subone
ii. subtwo
iii. subthree
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((9, Decimal(), OneParen()), [[Plain([Str('Ninth')])], [Plain([Str('Tenth')])], [Plain([Str('Eleventh')]), OrderedList((1, LowerRoman(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('subone')])], [Plain([Str('subtwo')])], [Plain([Str('subthree')])]])]])])
Pandoc will start a new list each time a different type of list marker is used. So, the following will create three lists:
(2) Two
(5) Three
1. Four
* Five
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((2, Decimal(), TwoParens()), [[Plain([Str('Two')])], [Plain([Str('Three')])]]), OrderedList((1, Decimal(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('Four')])]]), BulletList([[Plain([Str('Five')])]])])
If default list markers are desired, use #.:
#. one
#. two
#. three
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((1, DefaultStyle(), DefaultDelim()), [[Plain([Str('one')])], [Plain([Str('two')])], [Plain([Str('three')])]])])
Extension: task_lists¶
Pandoc supports task lists, using the syntax of GitHub-Flavored Markdown.
- [ ] an unchecked task list item
- [x] checked item
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('☐'), Space(), Str('an'), Space(), Str('unchecked'), Space(), Str('task'), Space(), Str('list'), Space(), Str('item')])], [Plain([Str('☒'), Space(), Str('checked'), Space(), Str('item')])]])])
Definition lists¶
Extension: definition_lists¶
Pandoc supports definition lists, using the syntax of PHP Markdown Extra with some extensions.2
Term 1
: Definition 1
Term 2 with *inline markup*
: Definition 2
{ some code, part of Definition 2 }
Third paragraph of definition 2.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [DefinitionList([([Str('Term'), Space(), Str('1')], [[Para([Str('Definition'), Space(), Str('1')])]]), ([Str('Term'), Space(), Str('2'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Emph([Str('inline'), Space(), Str('markup')])], [[Para([Str('Definition'), Space(), Str('2')]), CodeBlock(('', [], []), '{ some code, part of Definition 2 }'), Para([Str('Third'), Space(), Str('paragraph'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('definition'), Space(), Str('2.')])]])])])
Each term must fit on one line, which may optionally be followed by a blank line, and must be followed by one or more definitions. A definition begins with a colon or tilde, which may be indented one or two spaces.
A term may have multiple definitions, and each definition may consist of one or more block elements (paragraph, code block, list, etc.), each indented four spaces or one tab stop. The body of the definition (not including the first line) should be indented four spaces. However, as with other Markdown lists, you can "lazily" omit indentation except at the beginning of a paragraph or other block element:
Term 1
: Definition
with lazy continuation.
Second paragraph of the definition.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [DefinitionList([([Str('Term'), Space(), Str('1')], [[Para([Str('Definition'), SoftBreak(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('lazy'), Space(), Str('continuation.')]), Para([Str('Second'), Space(), Str('paragraph'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('definition.')])]])])])
If you leave space before the definition (as in the example above), the text of the definition will be treated as a paragraph. In some output formats, this will mean greater spacing between term/definition pairs. For a more compact definition list, omit the space before the definition:
Term 1
~ Definition 1
Term 2
~ Definition 2a
~ Definition 2b
Pandoc(Meta({}), [DefinitionList([([Str('Term'), Space(), Str('1')], [[Plain([Str('Definition'), Space(), Str('1')])]]), ([Str('Term'), Space(), Str('2')], [[Plain([Str('Definition'), Space(), Str('2a')])], [Plain([Str('Definition'), Space(), Str('2b')])]])])])
Note that space between items in a definition list is required. (A
variant that loosens this requirement, but disallows "lazy" hard
wrapping, can be activated with the compact_definition_lists
extension.)
Numbered example lists¶
Extension: example_lists¶
The special list marker @ can be used for sequentially numbered
examples. The first list item with a @ marker will be numbered '1',
the next '2', and so on, throughout the document. The numbered examples
need not occur in a single list; each new list using @ will take up
where the last stopped. So, for example:
(@) My first example will be numbered (1).
(@) My second example will be numbered (2).
Explanation of examples.
(@) My third example will be numbered (3).
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((1, Example(), TwoParens()), [[Plain([Str('My'), Space(), Str('first'), Space(), Str('example'), Space(), Str('will'), Space(), Str('be'), Space(), Str('numbered'), Space(), Str('(1).')])], [Plain([Str('My'), Space(), Str('second'), Space(), Str('example'), Space(), Str('will'), Space(), Str('be'), Space(), Str('numbered'), Space(), Str('(2).')])]]), Para([Str('Explanation'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('examples.')]), OrderedList((3, Example(), TwoParens()), [[Plain([Str('My'), Space(), Str('third'), Space(), Str('example'), Space(), Str('will'), Space(), Str('be'), Space(), Str('numbered'), Space(), Str('(3).')])]])])
Numbered examples can be labeled and referred to elsewhere in the document:
(@good) This is a good example.
As (@good) illustrates, ...
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((1, Example(), TwoParens()), [[Plain([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('good'), Space(), Str('example.')])]]), Para([Str('As'), Space(), Str('(1)'), Space(), Str('illustrates,'), Space(), Str('…')])])
The label can be any string of alphanumeric characters, underscores, or hyphens.
Note: continuation paragraphs in example lists must always be indented
four spaces, regardless of the length of the list marker. That is,
example lists always behave as if the four_space_rule extension is
set. This is because example labels tend to be long, and indenting
content to the first non-space character after the label would be
awkward.
Ending a list¶
What if you want to put an indented code block after a list?
- item one
- item two
{ my code block }
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Para([Str('item'), Space(), Str('one')])], [Para([Str('item'), Space(), Str('two')]), Para([Str('{'), Space(), Str('my'), Space(), Str('code'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Str('}')])]])])
Trouble! Here pandoc (like other Markdown implementations) will treat
{ my code block } as the second paragraph of item two, and not as a
code block.
To "cut off" the list after item two, you can insert some non-indented content, like an HTML comment, which won't produce visible output in any format:
- item one
- item two
<!-- end of list -->
{ my code block }
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('item'), Space(), Str('one')])], [Plain([Str('item'), Space(), Str('two')])]]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<!-- end of list -->'), CodeBlock(('', [], []), '{ my code block }')])
You can use the same trick if you want two consecutive lists instead of one big list:
1. one
2. two
3. three
<!-- -->
1. uno
2. dos
3. tres
Pandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((1, Decimal(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('one')])], [Plain([Str('two')])], [Plain([Str('three')])]]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<!-- -->'), OrderedList((1, Decimal(), Period()), [[Plain([Str('uno')])], [Plain([Str('dos')])], [Plain([Str('tres')])]])])
Horizontal rules¶
A line containing a row of three or more *, -, or _ characters
(optionally separated by spaces) produces a horizontal rule:
* * * *
---------------
Pandoc(Meta({}), [HorizontalRule(), HorizontalRule()])
We strongly recommend that horizontal rules be separated from surrounding text by blank lines. If a horizontal rule is not followed by a blank line, pandoc may try to interpret the lines that follow as a YAML metadata block or a table.
Tables¶
Four kinds of tables may be used. The first three kinds presuppose the use of a fixed-width font, such as Courier. The fourth kind can be used with proportionally spaced fonts, as it does not require lining up columns.
Extension: table_captions¶
A caption may optionally be provided with all 4 kinds of tables (as
illustrated in the examples below). A caption is a paragraph beginning
with the string Table: (or table: or just :), which will be
stripped off. It may appear either before or after the table.
Extension: simple_tables¶
Simple tables look like this:
Right Left Center Default
------- ------ ---------- -------
12 12 12 12
123 123 123 123
1 1 1 1
Table: Demonstration of simple table syntax.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('Demonstration'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('simple'), Space(), Str('table'), Space(), Str('syntax.')])]), [(AlignRight(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignLeft(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignCenter(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignDefault(), ColWidthDefault())], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Right')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Left')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Center')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Default')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
The header and table rows must each fit on one line. Column alignments are determined by the position of the header text relative to the dashed line below it:3
- If the dashed line is flush with the header text on the right side but extends beyond it on the left, the column is right-aligned.
- If the dashed line is flush with the header text on the left side but extends beyond it on the right, the column is left-aligned.
- If the dashed line extends beyond the header text on both sides, the column is centered.
- If the dashed line is flush with the header text on both sides, the default alignment is used (in most cases, this will be left).
The table must end with a blank line, or a line of dashes followed by a blank line.
The column header row may be omitted, provided a dashed line is used to end the table. For example:
------- ------ ---------- -------
12 12 12 12
123 123 123 123
1 1 1 1
------- ------ ---------- -------
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, []), [(AlignRight(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignLeft(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignCenter(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignRight(), ColWidthDefault())], TableHead(('', [], []), []), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
When the header row is omitted, column alignments are determined on the basis of the first line of the table body. So, in the tables above, the columns would be right, left, center, and right aligned, respectively.
Extension: multiline_tables¶
Multiline tables allow header and table rows to span multiple lines of text (but cells that span multiple columns or rows of the table are not supported). Here is an example:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Centered Default Right Left
Header Aligned Aligned Aligned
----------- ------- --------------- -------------------------
First row 12.0 Example of a row that
spans multiple lines.
Second row 5.0 Here's another one. Note
the blank line between
rows.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Table: Here's the caption. It, too, may span
multiple lines.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('Here’s'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('caption.'), Space(), Str('It,'), Space(), Str('too,'), Space(), Str('may'), Space(), Str('span'), SoftBreak(), Str('multiple'), Space(), Str('lines.')])]), [(AlignCenter(), ColWidth_(0.16666666666666666)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.1111111111111111)), (AlignRight(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignLeft(), ColWidth_(0.3611111111111111))], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Centered'), SoftBreak(), Str('Header')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Default'), SoftBreak(), Str('Aligned')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Right'), SoftBreak(), Str('Aligned')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Left'), SoftBreak(), Str('Aligned')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('First')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('row')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12.0')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Example'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('row'), Space(), Str('that'), SoftBreak(), Str('spans'), Space(), Str('multiple'), Space(), Str('lines.')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Second')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('row')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('5.0')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Here’s'), Space(), Str('another'), Space(), Str('one.'), Space(), Str('Note'), SoftBreak(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('blank'), Space(), Str('line'), Space(), Str('between'), SoftBreak(), Str('rows.')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
These work like simple tables, but with the following differences:
- They must begin with a row of dashes, before the header text (unless the header row is omitted).
- They must end with a row of dashes, then a blank line.
- The rows must be separated by blank lines.
In multiline tables, the table parser pays attention to the widths of the columns, and the writers try to reproduce these relative widths in the output. So, if you find that one of the columns is too narrow in the output, try widening it in the Markdown source.
The header may be omitted in multiline tables as well as simple tables:
----------- ------- --------------- -------------------------
First row 12.0 Example of a row that
spans multiple lines.
Second row 5.0 Here's another one. Note
the blank line between
rows.
----------- ------- --------------- -------------------------
: Here's a multiline table without a header.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('Here’s'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('multiline'), Space(), Str('table'), Space(), Str('without'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('header.')])]), [(AlignCenter(), ColWidth_(0.16666666666666666)), (AlignLeft(), ColWidth_(0.1111111111111111)), (AlignRight(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignLeft(), ColWidth_(0.3611111111111111))], TableHead(('', [], []), []), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('First')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('row')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12.0')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Example'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('row'), Space(), Str('that'), SoftBreak(), Str('spans'), Space(), Str('multiple'), Space(), Str('lines.')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Second')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('row')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('5.0')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Here’s'), Space(), Str('another'), Space(), Str('one.'), Space(), Str('Note'), SoftBreak(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('blank'), Space(), Str('line'), Space(), Str('between'), SoftBreak(), Str('rows.')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
It is possible for a multiline table to have just one row, but the row should be followed by a blank line (and then the row of dashes that ends the table), or the table may be interpreted as a simple table.
Extension: grid_tables¶
Grid tables look like this:
: Sample grid table.
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| Fruit | Price | Advantages |
+===============+===============+====================+
| Bananas | $1.34 | - built-in wrapper |
| | | - bright color |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| Oranges | $2.10 | - cures scurvy |
| | | - tasty |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('Sample'), Space(), Str('grid'), Space(), Str('table.')])]), [(AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.2916666666666667))], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Fruit')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Price')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Advantages')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Bananas')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('$1.34')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('built-in'), Space(), Str('wrapper')])], [Plain([Str('bright'), Space(), Str('color')])]])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Oranges')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('$2.10')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [BulletList([[Plain([Str('cures'), Space(), Str('scurvy')])], [Plain([Str('tasty')])]])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
The row of =s separates the header from the table body, and can be
omitted for a headerless table. The cells of grid tables may contain
arbitrary block elements (multiple paragraphs, code blocks, lists,
etc.).
Cells can span multiple columns or rows:
+---------------------+----------+
| Property | Earth |
+=============+=======+==========+
| | min | -89.2 °C |
| Temperature +-------+----------+
| 1961-1990 | mean | 14 °C |
| +-------+----------+
| | min | 56.7 °C |
+-------------+-------+----------+
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, []), [(AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.19444444444444445)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.1111111111111111)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.1527777777777778))], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(2), [Plain([Str('Property')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Earth')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(3), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Temperature'), SoftBreak(), Str('1961-1990')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('min')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('-89.2'), Space(), Str('°C')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('mean')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('14'), Space(), Str('°C')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('min')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('56.7'), Space(), Str('°C')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
A table header may contain more than one row:
+---------------------+-----------------------+
| Location | Temperature 1961-1990 |
| | in degree Celsius |
| +-------+-------+-------+
| | min | mean | max |
+=====================+=======+=======+=======+
| Antarctica | -89.2 | N/A | 19.8 |
+---------------------+-------+-------+-------+
| Earth | -89.2 | 14 | 56.7 |
+---------------------+-------+-------+-------+
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, []), [(AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.3055555555555556)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.1111111111111111)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.1111111111111111)), (AlignDefault(), ColWidth_(0.1111111111111111))], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(2), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Location')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(3), [Plain([Str('Temperature'), Space(), Str('1961-1990'), SoftBreak(), Str('in'), Space(), Str('degree'), Space(), Str('Celsius')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('min')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('mean')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('max')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Antarctica')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('-89.2')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('N/A')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('19.8')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Earth')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('-89.2')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('14')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('56.7')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
Alignments can be specified as with pipe tables, by putting colons at the boundaries of the separator line after the header:
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| Right | Left | Centered |
+==============:+:==============+:==================:+
| Bananas | $1.34 | built-in wrapper |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, []), [(AlignRight(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignLeft(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignCenter(), ColWidth_(0.2916666666666667))], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Right')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Left')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Centered')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Bananas')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('$1.34')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('built-in'), Space(), Str('wrapper')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
For headerless tables, the colons go on the top line instead:
+--------------:+:--------------+:------------------:+
| Right | Left | Centered |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, []), [(AlignRight(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignLeft(), ColWidth_(0.2222222222222222)), (AlignCenter(), ColWidth_(0.2916666666666667))], TableHead(('', [], []), []), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Right')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Left')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Centered')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
A table foot can be defined by enclosing it with separator lines that
use = instead of -:
+---------------+---------------+
| Fruit | Price |
+===============+===============+
| Bananas | $1.34 |
+---------------+---------------+
| Oranges | $2.10 |
+===============+===============+
| Sum | $3.44 |
+===============+===============+
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('+—————+—————+'), SoftBreak(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('Fruit'), Space(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('Price'), Space(), Str('|'), SoftBreak(), Str('+===============+===============+'), SoftBreak(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('Bananas'), Space(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('$1.34'), Space(), Str('|'), SoftBreak(), Str('+—————+—————+'), SoftBreak(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('Oranges'), Space(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('$2.10'), Space(), Str('|'), SoftBreak(), Str('+===============+===============+'), SoftBreak(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('Sum'), Space(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('$3.44'), Space(), Str('|'), SoftBreak(), Str('+===============+===============+')])])
The foot must always be placed at the very bottom of the table.
Grid tables can be created easily using Emacs' table-mode
(M-x table-insert).
Extension: pipe_tables¶
Pipe tables look like this:
| Right | Left | Default | Center |
|------:|:-----|---------|:------:|
| 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| 123 | 123 | 123 | 123 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
: Demonstration of pipe table syntax.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('Demonstration'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('pipe'), Space(), Str('table'), Space(), Str('syntax.')])]), [(AlignRight(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignLeft(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignDefault(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignCenter(), ColWidthDefault())], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Right')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Left')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Default')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Center')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('12')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('123')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
The syntax is identical to PHP Markdown Extra tables. The beginning and ending pipe characters are optional, but pipes are required between all columns. The colons indicate column alignment as shown. The header cannot be omitted. To simulate a headerless table, include a header with blank cells.
Since the pipes indicate column boundaries, columns need not be vertically aligned, as they are in the above example. So, this is a perfectly legal (though ugly) pipe table:
fruit| price
-----|-----:
apple|2.05
pear|1.37
orange|3.09
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, []), [(AlignDefault(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignRight(), ColWidthDefault())], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('fruit')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('price')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('apple')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('2.05')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('pear')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('1.37')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('orange')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('3.09')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
The cells of pipe tables cannot contain block elements like paragraphs
and lists, and cannot span multiple lines. If any line of the markdown
source is longer than the column width (see --columns), then the table
will take up the full text width and the cell contents will wrap, with
the relative cell widths determined by the number of dashes in the line
separating the table header from the table body. (For example ---|-
would make the first column 3/4 and the second column 1/4 of the full
text width.) On the other hand, if no lines are wider than column width,
then cell contents will not be wrapped, and the cells will be sized to
their contents.
Note: pandoc also recognizes pipe tables of the following form, as can be produced by Emacs' orgtbl-mode:
| One | Two |
|-----+-------|
| my | table |
| is | nice |
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Table(('', [], []), Caption(None, []), [(AlignDefault(), ColWidthDefault()), (AlignDefault(), ColWidthDefault())], TableHead(('', [], []), [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('One')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('Two')])])])]), [TableBody(('', [], []), RowHeadColumns(0), [], [Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('my')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('table')])])]), Row(('', [], []), [Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('is')])]), Cell(('', [], []), AlignDefault(), RowSpan(1), ColSpan(1), [Plain([Str('nice')])])])])], TableFoot(('', [], []), []))])
The difference is that + is used instead of |. Other orgtbl features
are not supported. In particular, to get non-default column alignment,
you'll need to add colons as above.
Metadata blocks¶
Extension: pandoc_title_block¶
If the file begins with a title block
% title
% author(s) (separated by semicolons)
% date
Pandoc(Meta({'author': MetaList([MetaInlines([Str('author(s)'), Space(), Str('(separated'), Space(), Str('by'), Space(), Str('semicolons)')])]), 'date': MetaInlines([Str('date')]), 'title': MetaInlines([Str('title')])}), [])
it will be parsed as bibliographic information, not regular text. (It will be used, for example, in the title of standalone LaTeX or HTML output.) The block may contain just a title, a title and an author, or all three elements. If you want to include an author but no title, or a title and a date but no author, you need a blank line:
%
% Author
Pandoc(Meta({'author': MetaList([MetaInlines([Str('Author')])])}), [])
% My title
%
% June 15, 2006
Pandoc(Meta({'author': MetaList([MetaInlines([])]), 'date': MetaInlines([Str('June'), Space(), Str('15,'), Space(), Str('2006')]), 'title': MetaInlines([Str('My'), Space(), Str('title')])}), [])
The title may occupy multiple lines, but continuation lines must begin with leading space, thus:
% My title
on multiple lines
Pandoc(Meta({'title': MetaInlines([Str('My'), Space(), Str('title'), SoftBreak(), Str('on'), Space(), Str('multiple'), Space(), Str('lines')])}), [])
If a document has multiple authors, the authors may be put on separate lines with leading space, or separated by semicolons, or both. So, all of the following are equivalent:
% Author One
Author Two
Pandoc(Meta({'title': MetaInlines([Str('Author'), Space(), Str('One'), SoftBreak(), Str('Author'), Space(), Str('Two')])}), [])
% Author One; Author Two
Pandoc(Meta({'title': MetaInlines([Str('Author'), Space(), Str('One;'), Space(), Str('Author'), Space(), Str('Two')])}), [])
% Author One;
Author Two
Pandoc(Meta({'title': MetaInlines([Str('Author'), Space(), Str('One;'), SoftBreak(), Str('Author'), Space(), Str('Two')])}), [])
The date must fit on one line.
All three metadata fields may contain standard inline formatting (italics, links, footnotes, etc.).
Title blocks will always be parsed, but they will affect the output only
when the --standalone (-s) option is chosen. In HTML output, titles
will appear twice: once in the document head -- this is the title that
will appear at the top of the window in a browser -- and once at the
beginning of the document body. The title in the document head can have
an optional prefix attached (--title-prefix or -T option). The title
in the body appears as an H1 element with class "title", so it can be
suppressed or reformatted with CSS. If a title prefix is specified with
-T and no title block appears in the document, the title prefix will
be used by itself as the HTML title.
The man page writer extracts a title, man page section number, and other
header and footer information from the title line. The title is assumed
to be the first word on the title line, which may optionally end with a
(single-digit) section number in parentheses. (There should be no space
between the title and the parentheses.) Anything after this is assumed
to be additional footer and header text. A single pipe character (|)
should be used to separate the footer text from the header text. Thus,
% PANDOC(1)
Pandoc(Meta({'title': MetaInlines([Str('PANDOC(1)')])}), [])
will yield a man page with the title PANDOC and section 1.
% PANDOC(1) Pandoc User Manuals
Pandoc(Meta({'title': MetaInlines([Str('PANDOC(1)'), Space(), Str('Pandoc'), Space(), Str('User'), Space(), Str('Manuals')])}), [])
will also have "Pandoc User Manuals" in the footer.
% PANDOC(1) Pandoc User Manuals | Version 4.0
Pandoc(Meta({'title': MetaInlines([Str('PANDOC(1)'), Space(), Str('Pandoc'), Space(), Str('User'), Space(), Str('Manuals'), Space(), Str('|'), Space(), Str('Version'), Space(), Str('4.0')])}), [])
will also have "Version 4.0" in the header.
Extension: yaml_metadata_block¶
A YAML metadata
block is a valid YAML object, delimited by a line of three hyphens
(---) at the top and a line of three hyphens (---) or three dots
(...) at the bottom. The initial line --- must not be followed by a
blank line. A YAML metadata block may occur anywhere in the document,
but if it is not at the beginning, it must be preceded by a blank line.
Note that, because of the way pandoc concatenates input files when several are provided, you may also keep the metadata in a separate YAML file and pass it to pandoc as an argument, along with your Markdown files:
pandoc chap1.md chap2.md chap3.md metadata.yaml -s -o book.html
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('pandoc'), Space(), Str('chap1.md'), Space(), Str('chap2.md'), Space(), Str('chap3.md'), Space(), Str('metadata.yaml'), Space(), Str('-s'), Space(), Str('-o'), Space(), Str('book.html')])])
Just be sure that the YAML file begins with --- and ends with --- or
.... Alternatively, you can use the --metadata-file option. Using
that approach however, you cannot reference content (like footnotes)
from the main markdown input document.
Metadata will be taken from the fields of the YAML object and added to
any existing document metadata. Metadata can contain lists and objects
(nested arbitrarily), but all string scalars will be interpreted as
Markdown. Fields with names ending in an underscore will be ignored by
pandoc. (They may be given a role by external processors.) Field names
must not be interpretable as YAML numbers or boolean values (so, for
example, yes, True, and 15 cannot be used as field names).
A document may contain multiple metadata blocks. If two metadata blocks attempt to set the same field, the value from the second block will be taken.
Each metadata block is handled internally as an independent YAML document. This means, for example, that any YAML anchors defined in a block cannot be referenced in another block.
When pandoc is used with -t markdown to create a Markdown document, a
YAML metadata block will be produced only if the -s/--standalone
option is used. All of the metadata will appear in a single block at the
beginning of the document.
Note that YAML
escaping rules must be followed. Thus, for example, if a title contains
a colon, it must be quoted, and if it contains a backslash escape, then
it must be ensured that it is not treated as a YAML escape
sequence. The pipe
character (|) can be used to begin an indented block that will be
interpreted literally, without need for escaping. This form is necessary
when the field contains blank lines or block-level formatting:
---
title: 'This is the title: it contains a colon'
author:
- Author One
- Author Two
keywords: [nothing, nothingness]
abstract: |
This is the abstract.
It consists of two paragraphs.
...
Pandoc(Meta({'abstract': MetaBlocks([Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('abstract.')]), Para([Str('It'), Space(), Str('consists'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('two'), Space(), Str('paragraphs.')])]), 'author': MetaList([MetaInlines([Str('Author'), Space(), Str('One')]), MetaInlines([Str('Author'), Space(), Str('Two')])]), 'keywords': MetaList([MetaInlines([Str('nothing')]), MetaInlines([Str('nothingness')])]), 'title': MetaInlines([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('title:'), Space(), Str('it'), Space(), Str('contains'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('colon')])}), [])
The literal block after the | must be indented relative to the line
containing the |. If it is not, the YAML will be invalid and pandoc
will not interpret it as metadata. For an overview of the complex rules
governing YAML, see the Wikipedia entry on YAML
syntax.
Template variables will be set automatically from the metadata. Thus,
for example, in writing HTML, the variable abstract will be set to the
HTML equivalent of the Markdown in the abstract field:
<p>This is the abstract.</p>
<p>It consists of two paragraphs.</p>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('html'), '<p>'), Plain([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('abstract.')]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</p>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<p>'), Plain([Str('It'), Space(), Str('consists'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('two'), Space(), Str('paragraphs.')]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</p>')])
Variables can contain arbitrary YAML structures, but the template must
match this structure. The author variable in the default templates
expects a simple list or string, but can be changed to support more
complicated structures. The following combination, for example, would
add an affiliation to the author if one is given:
---
title: The document title
author:
- name: Author One
affiliation: University of Somewhere
- name: Author Two
affiliation: University of Nowhere
...
Pandoc(Meta({'author': MetaList([MetaMap({'affiliation': MetaInlines([Str('University'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('Somewhere')]), 'name': MetaInlines([Str('Author'), Space(), Str('One')])}), MetaMap({'affiliation': MetaInlines([Str('University'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('Nowhere')]), 'name': MetaInlines([Str('Author'), Space(), Str('Two')])})]), 'title': MetaInlines([Str('The'), Space(), Str('document'), Space(), Str('title')])}), [])
To use the structured authors in the example above, you would need a custom template:
$for(author)$
$if(author.name)$
$author.name$$if(author.affiliation)$ ($author.affiliation$)$endif$
$else$
$author$
$endif$
$endfor$
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Math(InlineMath(), 'for(author)'), SoftBreak(), Math(InlineMath(), 'if(author.name)'), SoftBreak(), Math(InlineMath(), 'author.name'), Math(InlineMath(), 'if(author.affiliation)'), Space(), Str('('), Math(InlineMath(), 'author.affiliation'), Str(')'), Math(InlineMath(), 'endif'), SoftBreak(), Math(InlineMath(), 'else'), SoftBreak(), Math(InlineMath(), 'author'), SoftBreak(), Math(InlineMath(), 'endif'), SoftBreak(), Math(InlineMath(), 'endfor')])])
Raw content to include in the document's header may be specified using
header-includes; however, it is important to mark up this content as
raw code for a particular output format, using the raw_attribute
extension, or it will be interpreted as
markdown. For example:
header-includes:
- |
```{=latex}
\let\oldsection\section
\renewcommand{\section}[1]{\clearpage\oldsection{#1}}
```
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('header-includes:'), SoftBreak(), Str('-'), Space(), Str('|'), SoftBreak(), Code(('', [], []), '{=latex} \\let\\oldsection\\section \\renewcommand{\\section}[1]{\\clearpage\\oldsection{#1}}')])])
Note: the yaml_metadata_block extension works with commonmark as
well as markdown (and it is enabled by default in gfm and
commonmark_x). However, in these formats the following restrictions
apply:
-
The YAML metadata block must occur at the beginning of the document (and there can be only one). If multiple files are given as arguments to pandoc, only the first can be a YAML metadata block.
-
The leaf nodes of the YAML structure are parsed in isolation from each other and from the rest of the document. So, for example, you can't use a reference link in these contexts if the link definition is somewhere else in the document.
Backslash escapes¶
Extension: all_symbols_escapable¶
Except inside a code block or inline code, any punctuation or space character preceded by a backslash will be treated literally, even if it would normally indicate formatting. Thus, for example, if one writes
*\*hello\**
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Emph([Str('*hello*')])])])
one will get
<em>*hello*</em>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([RawInline(Format('html'), '<em>'), Emph([Str('hello')]), RawInline(Format('html'), '</em>')])])
instead of
<strong>hello</strong>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([RawInline(Format('html'), '<strong>'), Str('hello'), RawInline(Format('html'), '</strong>')])])
This rule is easier to remember than original Markdown's rule, which allows only the following characters to be backslash-escaped:
\`*_{}[]()>#+-.!
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('`*_{}'), Link(('', [], []), [], ('', '')), Str('>#+-.!')])])
(However, if the markdown_strict format is used, the original Markdown
rule will be used.)
A backslash-escaped space is parsed as a nonbreaking space. In TeX
output, it will appear as ~. In HTML and XML output, it will appear as
a literal unicode nonbreaking space character (note that it will thus
actually look "invisible" in the generated HTML source; you can still
use the --ascii command-line option to make it appear as an explicit
entity).
A backslash-escaped newline (i.e. a backslash occurring at the end of a
line) is parsed as a hard line break. It will appear in TeX output as
\\ and in HTML as <br />. This is a nice alternative to Markdown's
"invisible" way of indicating hard line breaks using two trailing spaces
on a line.
Backslash escapes do not work in verbatim contexts.
Inline formatting¶
Emphasis¶
To emphasize some text, surround it with *s or _, like this:
This text is _emphasized with underscores_, and this
is *emphasized with asterisks*.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('text'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Emph([Str('emphasized'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('underscores')]), Str(','), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('this'), SoftBreak(), Str('is'), Space(), Emph([Str('emphasized'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('asterisks')]), Str('.')])])
Double * or _ produces strong emphasis:
This is **strong emphasis** and __with underscores__.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Strong([Str('strong'), Space(), Str('emphasis')]), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Strong([Str('with'), Space(), Str('underscores')]), Str('.')])])
A * or _ character surrounded by spaces, or backslash-escaped, will
not trigger emphasis:
This is * not emphasized *, and \*neither is this\*.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('*'), Space(), Str('not'), Space(), Str('emphasized'), Space(), Str('*,'), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('*neither'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('this*.')])])
Extension: intraword_underscores¶
Because _ is sometimes used inside words and identifiers, pandoc does
not interpret a _ surrounded by alphanumeric characters as an emphasis
marker. If you want to emphasize just part of a word, use *:
feas*ible*, not feas*able*.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('feas'), Emph([Str('ible')]), Str(','), Space(), Str('not'), Space(), Str('feas'), Emph([Str('able')]), Str('.')])])
Highlighting¶
To highlight text, use the mark class:
[Mark]{.mark}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Span(('', ['mark'], []), [Str('Mark')])])])
Or, without the bracketed_spans extension (but with native_spans):
<span class="mark">Mark</span>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Span(('', ['mark'], []), [Str('Mark')])])])
This will work in html output.
Strikeout¶
Extension: strikeout¶
To strike out a section of text with a horizontal line, begin and end it
with ~~. Thus, for example,
This ~~is deleted text.~~
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Strikeout([Str('is'), Space(), Str('deleted'), Space(), Str('text.')])])])
Superscripts and subscripts¶
Extension: superscript, subscript¶
Superscripts may be written by surrounding the superscripted text by ^
characters; subscripts may be written by surrounding the subscripted
text by ~ characters. Thus, for example,
H~2~O is a liquid. 2^10^ is 1024.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('H'), Subscript([Str('2')]), Str('O'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('liquid.'), Space(), Str('2'), Superscript([Str('10')]), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('1024.')])])
The text between ^...^ or ~...~ may not contain spaces or newlines.
If the superscripted or subscripted text contains spaces, these spaces
must be escaped with backslashes. (This is to prevent accidental
superscripting and subscripting through the ordinary use of ~ and ^,
and also bad interactions with footnotes.) Thus, if you want the letter
P with 'a cat' in subscripts, use P~a\ cat~, not P~a cat~.
Verbatim¶
To make a short span of text verbatim, put it inside backticks:
What is the difference between `>>=` and `>>`?
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('What'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('difference'), Space(), Str('between'), Space(), Code(('', [], []), '>>='), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Code(('', [], []), '>>'), Str('?')])])
If the verbatim text includes a backtick, use double backticks:
Here is a literal backtick `` ` ``.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('literal'), Space(), Str('backtick'), Space(), Code(('', [], []), '`'), Str('.')])])
(The spaces after the opening backticks and before the closing backticks will be ignored.)
The general rule is that a verbatim span starts with a string of consecutive backticks (optionally followed by a space) and ends with a string of the same number of backticks (optionally preceded by a space).
Note that backslash-escapes (and other Markdown constructs) do not work in verbatim contexts:
This is a backslash followed by an asterisk: `\*`.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('backslash'), Space(), Str('followed'), Space(), Str('by'), Space(), Str('an'), Space(), Str('asterisk:'), Space(), Code(('', [], []), '\\*'), Str('.')])])
Extension: inline_code_attributes¶
Attributes can be attached to verbatim text, just as with fenced code blocks:
`<$>`{.haskell}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Code(('', ['haskell'], []), '<$>')])])
Underline¶
To underline text, use the underline class:
[Underline]{.underline}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Underline([Str('Underline')])])])
Or, without the bracketed_spans extension (but with native_spans):
<span class="underline">Underline</span>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Underline([Str('Underline')])])])
This will work in all output formats that support underline.
Small caps¶
To write small caps, use the smallcaps class:
[Small caps]{.smallcaps}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([SmallCaps([Str('Small'), Space(), Str('caps')])])])
Or, without the bracketed_spans extension:
<span class="smallcaps">Small caps</span>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([SmallCaps([Str('Small'), Space(), Str('caps')])])])
For compatibility with other Markdown flavors, CSS is also supported:
<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Small caps</span>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([SmallCaps([Str('Small'), Space(), Str('caps')])])])
This will work in all output formats that support small caps.
Math¶
Extension: tex_math_dollars¶
Anything between two $ characters will be treated as TeX math. The
opening $ must have a non-space character immediately to its right,
while the closing $ must have a non-space character immediately to its
left, and must not be followed immediately by a digit. Thus,
$20,000 and $30,000 won't parse as math. If for some reason you need
to enclose text in literal $ characters, backslash-escape them and
they won't be treated as math delimiters.
For display math, use $$ delimiters. (In this case, the delimiters may
be separated from the formula by whitespace. However, there can be no
blank lines between the opening and closing $$ delimiters.)
TeX math will be printed in all output formats. How it is rendered depends on the output format:
- LaTeX.
It will appear verbatim surrounded by
\(...\)(for inline math) or\[...\](for display math). - Markdown, Emacs Org mode, ConTeXt, ZimWiki.
It will appear verbatim surrounded by
$...$(for inline math) or$$...$$(for display math). - XWiki.
It will appear verbatim surrounded by
{{formula}}..{{/formula}}. - reStructuredText.
It will be rendered using an interpreted text role
:math:. - AsciiDoc.
For AsciiDoc output format (
-t asciidoc) it will appear verbatim surrounded bylatexmath:[$...$](for inline math) or[latexmath]++++\[...\]+++(for display math). For AsciiDoctor output format (-t asciidoctor) the LaTeX delimiters ($..$and\[..\]) are omitted. - Texinfo.
It will be rendered inside a
@mathcommand. - roff man, Jira markup.
It will be rendered verbatim without
$'s. - MediaWiki, DokuWiki.
It will be rendered inside
<math>tags. - Textile.
It will be rendered inside
<span class="math">tags. - RTF, OpenDocument. It will be rendered, if possible, using Unicode characters, and will otherwise appear verbatim.
- ODT. It will be rendered, if possible, using MathML.
- DocBook.
If the
--mathmlflag is used, it will be rendered using MathML in aninlineequationorinformalequationtag. Otherwise it will be rendered, if possible, using Unicode characters. - Docx and PowerPoint. It will be rendered using OMML math markup.
- FictionBook2.
If the
--webtexoption is used, formulas are rendered as images using CodeCogs or other compatible web service, downloaded and embedded in the e-book. Otherwise, they will appear verbatim. - HTML, Slidy, DZSlides, S5, EPUB. The way math is rendered in HTML will depend on the command-line options selected. Therefore see Math rendering in HTML above.
Raw HTML¶
Extension: raw_html¶
Markdown allows you to insert raw HTML (or DocBook) anywhere in a
document (except verbatim contexts, where <, >, and & are
interpreted literally). (Technically this is not an extension, since
standard Markdown allows it, but it has been made an extension so that
it can be disabled if desired.)
The raw HTML is passed through unchanged in HTML, S5, Slidy, Slideous, DZSlides, EPUB, Markdown, CommonMark, Emacs Org mode, and Textile output, and suppressed in other formats.
For a more explicit way of including raw HTML in a Markdown document,
see the raw_attribute extension.
In the CommonMark format, if raw_html is enabled, superscripts,
subscripts, strikeouts and small capitals will be represented as HTML.
Otherwise, plain-text fallbacks will be used. Note that even if
raw_html is disabled, tables will be rendered with HTML syntax if they
cannot use pipe syntax.
Extension: markdown_in_html_blocks¶
Original Markdown allows you to include HTML "blocks": blocks of HTML
between balanced tags that are separated from the surrounding text with
blank lines, and start and end at the left margin. Within these blocks,
everything is interpreted as HTML, not Markdown; so (for example), *
does not signify emphasis.
Pandoc behaves this way when the markdown_strict format is used; but
by default, pandoc interprets material between HTML block tags as
Markdown. Thus, for example, pandoc will turn
<table>
<tr>
<td>*one*</td>
<td>[a link](https://google.com)</td>
</tr>
</table>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('html'), '<table>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<tr>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<td>'), Plain([Emph([Str('one')])]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</td>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<td>'), Plain([Link(('', [], []), [Str('a'), Space(), Str('link')], ('https://google.com', ''))]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</td>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</tr>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</table>')])
into
<table>
<tr>
<td><em>one</em></td>
<td><a href="https://google.com">a link</a></td>
</tr>
</table>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('html'), '<table>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<tr>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<td>'), Plain([RawInline(Format('html'), '<em>'), Str('one'), RawInline(Format('html'), '</em>')]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</td>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '<td>'), Plain([RawInline(Format('html'), '<a href="https://google.com">'), Str('a'), Space(), Str('link'), RawInline(Format('html'), '</a>')]), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</td>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</tr>'), RawBlock(Format('html'), '</table>')])
whereas Markdown.pl will preserve it as is.
There is one exception to this rule: text between <script>, <style>,
and <textarea> tags is not interpreted as Markdown.
This departure from original Markdown should make it easier to mix
Markdown with HTML block elements. For example, one can surround a block
of Markdown text with <div> tags without preventing it from being
interpreted as Markdown.
Extension: native_divs¶
Use native pandoc Div blocks for content inside <div> tags. For the
most part this should give the same output as markdown_in_html_blocks,
but it makes it easier to write pandoc filters to manipulate groups of
blocks.
Extension: native_spans¶
Use native pandoc Span blocks for content inside <span> tags. For
the most part this should give the same output as raw_html, but it
makes it easier to write pandoc filters to manipulate groups of inlines.
Extension: raw_tex¶
In addition to raw HTML, pandoc allows raw LaTeX, TeX, and ConTeXt to be included in a document. Inline TeX commands will be preserved and passed unchanged to the LaTeX and ConTeXt writers. Thus, for example, you can use LaTeX to include BibTeX citations:
This result was proved in \cite{jones.1967}.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('result'), Space(), Str('was'), Space(), Str('proved'), Space(), Str('in'), Space(), RawInline(Format('tex'), '\\cite{jones.1967}'), Str('.')])])
Note that in LaTeX environments, like
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}\hline
Age & Frequency \\ \hline
18--25 & 15 \\
26--35 & 33 \\
36--45 & 22 \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('tex'), '\\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}\\hline\nAge & Frequency \\\\ \\hline\n18--25 & 15 \\\\\n26--35 & 33 \\\\\n36--45 & 22 \\\\ \\hline\n\\end{tabular}')])
the material between the begin and end tags will be interpreted as raw LaTeX, not as Markdown.
For a more explicit and flexible way of including raw TeX in a Markdown
document, see the raw_attribute extension.
Inline LaTeX is ignored in output formats other than Markdown, LaTeX, Emacs Org mode, and ConTeXt.
Generic raw attribute¶
Extension: raw_attribute¶
Inline spans and fenced code blocks with a special kind of attribute
will be parsed as raw content with the designated format. For example,
the following produces a raw roff ms block:
```{=ms}
.MYMACRO
blah blah
```
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('ms'), '.MYMACRO\nblah blah')])
And the following produces a raw html inline element:
This is `<a>html</a>`{=html}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), RawInline(Format('html'), '<a>html</a>')])])
This can be useful to insert raw xml into docx documents, e.g. a
pagebreak:
```{=openxml}
<w:p>
<w:r>
<w:br w:type="page"/>
</w:r>
</w:p>
```
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('openxml'), '<w:p>\n <w:r>\n <w:br w:type="page"/>\n </w:r>\n</w:p>')])
The format name should match the target format name (see -t/--to,
above, for a list, or use pandoc --list-output-formats). Use openxml
for docx output, opendocument for odt output, html5 for epub3
output, html4 for epub2 output, and latex, beamer, ms, or
html5 for pdf output (depending on what you use for --pdf-engine).
This extension presupposes that the relevant kind of inline code or
fenced code block is enabled. Thus, for example, to use a raw attribute
with a backtick code block, backtick_code_blocks must be enabled.
The raw attribute cannot be combined with regular attributes.
LaTeX macros¶
Extension: latex_macros¶
When this extension is enabled, pandoc will parse LaTeX macro definitions and apply the resulting macros to all LaTeX math and raw LaTeX. So, for example, the following will work in all output formats, not just LaTeX:
\newcommand{\tuple}[1]{\langle #1 \rangle}
$\tuple{a, b, c}$
Pandoc(Meta({}), [RawBlock(Format('tex'), '\\newcommand{\\tuple}[1]{\\langle #1 \\rangle}'), Para([Math(InlineMath(), '\\langle a, b, c \\rangle')])])
Note that LaTeX macros will not be applied if they occur inside a raw
span or block marked with the raw_attribute
extension.
When latex_macros is disabled, the raw LaTeX and math will not have
macros applied. This is usually a better approach when you are targeting
LaTeX or PDF.
Macro definitions in LaTeX will be passed through as raw LaTeX only if
latex_macros is not enabled. Macro definitions in Markdown source (or
other formats allowing raw_tex) will be passed through regardless of
whether latex_macros is enabled.
Links¶
Markdown allows links to be specified in several ways.
Automatic links¶
If you enclose a URL or email address in pointy brackets, it will become a link:
<https://google.com>
<sam@green.eggs.ham>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Link(('', ['uri'], []), [Str('https://google.com')], ('https://google.com', '')), SoftBreak(), Link(('', ['email'], []), [Str('sam@green.eggs.ham')], ('mailto:sam@green.eggs.ham', ''))])])
Inline links¶
An inline link consists of the link text in square brackets, followed by the URL in parentheses. (Optionally, the URL can be followed by a link title, in quotes.)
This is an [inline link](/url), and here's [one with
a title](https://fsf.org "click here for a good time!").
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('an'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('inline'), Space(), Str('link')], ('/url', '')), Str(','), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('here’s'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('one'), Space(), Str('with'), SoftBreak(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('title')], ('https://fsf.org', 'click here for a good time!')), Str('.')])])
There can be no space between the bracketed part and the parenthesized part. The link text can contain formatting (such as emphasis), but the title cannot.
Email addresses in inline links are not autodetected, so they have to be
prefixed with mailto:
[Write me!](mailto:sam@green.eggs.ham)
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Link(('', [], []), [Str('Write'), Space(), Str('me!')], ('mailto:sam@green.eggs.ham', ''))])])
Reference links¶
An explicit reference link has two parts, the link itself and the link definition, which may occur elsewhere in the document (either before or after the link).
The link consists of link text in square brackets, followed by a label
in square brackets. (There cannot be space between the two unless the
spaced_reference_links extension is enabled.) The link definition
consists of the bracketed label, followed by a colon and a space,
followed by the URL, and optionally (after a space) a link title either
in quotes or in parentheses. The label must not be parseable as a
citation (assuming the citations extension is enabled): citations take
precedence over link labels.
Here are some examples:
[my label 1]: /foo/bar.html "My title, optional"
[my label 2]: /foo
[my label 3]: https://fsf.org (The Free Software Foundation)
[my label 4]: /bar#special 'A title in single quotes'
Pandoc(Meta({}), [])
The URL may optionally be surrounded by angle brackets:
[my label 5]: <http://foo.bar.baz>
Pandoc(Meta({}), [])
The title may go on the next line:
[my label 3]: https://fsf.org
"The Free Software Foundation"
Pandoc(Meta({}), [])
Note that link labels are not case sensitive. So, this will work:
Here is [my link][FOO]
[Foo]: /bar/baz
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('my'), Space(), Str('link')], ('/bar/baz', ''))])])
In an implicit reference link, the second pair of brackets is empty:
See [my website][].
[my website]: http://foo.bar.baz
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('See'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('my'), Space(), Str('website')], ('http://foo.bar.baz', '')), Str('.')])])
Note: In Markdown.pl and most other Markdown implementations,
reference link definitions cannot occur in nested constructions such as
list items or block quotes. Pandoc lifts this arbitrary-seeming
restriction. So the following is fine in pandoc, though not in most
other implementations:
> My block [quote].
>
> [quote]: /foo
Pandoc(Meta({}), [BlockQuote([Para([Str('My'), Space(), Str('block'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('quote')], ('/foo', '')), Str('.')])])])
Extension: shortcut_reference_links¶
In a shortcut reference link, the second pair of brackets may be omitted entirely:
See [my website].
[my website]: http://foo.bar.baz
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('See'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('my'), Space(), Str('website')], ('http://foo.bar.baz', '')), Str('.')])])
Internal links¶
To link to another section of the same document, use the automatically generated identifier (see Heading identifiers). For example:
See the [Introduction](#introduction).
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('See'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('Introduction')], ('#introduction', '')), Str('.')])])
or
See the [Introduction].
[Introduction]: #introduction
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('See'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Link(('', [], []), [Str('Introduction')], ('#introduction', '')), Str('.')])])
Internal links are currently supported for HTML formats (including HTML slide shows and EPUB), LaTeX, and ConTeXt.
Images¶
A link immediately preceded by a ! will be treated as an image. The
link text will be used as the image's alt text:
![movie reel]
[movie reel]: movie.gif
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Figure(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('la'), Space(), Str('lune')])]), [Plain([Image(('', [], []), [Str('la'), Space(), Str('lune')], ('lalune.jpg', 'Voyage to the moon'))])]), Figure(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('movie'), Space(), Str('reel')])]), [Plain([Image(('', [], []), [Str('movie'), Space(), Str('reel')], ('movie.gif', ''))])])])
Extension: implicit_figures¶
An image with nonempty alt text, occurring by itself in a paragraph, will be rendered as a figure with a caption. The image's alt text will be used as the caption.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Figure(('', [], []), Caption(None, [Plain([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('caption')])]), [Plain([Image(('', [], []), [Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('caption')], ('/url/of/image.png', ''))])])])
How this is rendered depends on the output format. Some output formats (e.g. RTF) do not yet support figures. In those formats, you'll just get an image in a paragraph by itself, with no caption.
If you just want a regular inline image, just make sure it is not the only thing in the paragraph. One way to do this is to insert a nonbreaking space after the image:
\
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Image(('', [], []), [Str('This'), Space(), Str('image'), Space(), Str('won’t'), Space(), Str('be'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('figure')], ('/url/of/image.png', '')), LineBreak()])])
Note that in reveal.js slide shows, an image in a paragraph by itself
that has the r-stretch class will fill the screen, and the caption and
figure tags will be omitted.
Extension: link_attributes¶
Attributes can be set on links and images:
An inline {#id .class width=30 height=20px}
and a reference ![image][ref] with attributes.
[ref]: foo.jpg "optional title" {#id .class key=val key2="val 2"}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('An'), Space(), Str('inline'), Space(), Image(('id', ['class'], [('width', '30'), ('height', '20px')]), [Str('image')], ('foo.jpg', '')), SoftBreak(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('reference'), Space(), Image(('id', ['class'], [('key', 'val'), ('key2', 'val 2')]), [Str('image')], ('foo.jpg', 'optional title')), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('attributes.')])])
(This syntax is compatible with PHP Markdown
Extra when only #id
and .class are used.)
For HTML and EPUB, all known HTML5 attributes except width and
height (but including srcset and sizes) are passed through as is.
Unknown attributes are passed through as custom attributes, with data-
prepended. The other writers ignore attributes that are not specifically
supported by their output format.
The width and height attributes on images are treated specially.
When used without a unit, the unit is assumed to be pixels. However, any
of the following unit identifiers can be used: px, cm, mm, in,
inch and %. There must not be any spaces between the number and the
unit. For example:
{ width=50% }
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Image(('', [], [('width', '50%')]), [], ('file.jpg', ''))])])
- Dimensions may be converted to a form that is compatible with the
output format (for example, dimensions given in pixels will be
converted to inches when converting HTML to LaTeX). Conversion
between pixels and physical measurements is affected by the
--dpioption (by default, 96 dpi is assumed, unless the image itself contains dpi information). - The
%unit is generally relative to some available space. For example the above example will render to the following.- HTML:
<img href="file.jpg" style="width: 50%;" /> - LaTeX:
\includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth,height=\textheight]{file.jpg}(If you're using a custom template, you need to configuregraphicxas in the default template.) - ConTeXt:
\externalfigure[file.jpg][width=0.5\textwidth]
- HTML:
- Some output formats have a notion of a class
(ConTeXt)
or a unique identifier (LaTeX
\caption), or both (HTML). - When no
widthorheightattributes are specified, the fallback is to look at the image resolution and the dpi metadata embedded in the image file.
Divs and Spans¶
Using the native_divs and native_spans extensions (see
above), HTML syntax can be used as part of
markdown to create native Div and Span elements in the pandoc AST
(as opposed to raw HTML). However, there is also nicer syntax available:
Extension: fenced_divs¶
Allow special fenced syntax for native Div blocks. A Div starts with a
fence containing at least three consecutive colons plus some attributes.
The attributes may optionally be followed by another string of
consecutive colons. The attribute syntax is exactly as in fenced code
blocks (see Extension:
fenced_code_attributes). As with
fenced code blocks, one can use either attributes in curly braces or a
single unbraced word, which will be treated as a class name. The Div
ends with another line containing a string of at least three consecutive
colons. The fenced Div should be separated by blank lines from preceding
and following blocks.
Example:
::::: {#special .sidebar}
Here is a paragraph.
And another.
:::::
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Div(('special', ['sidebar'], []), [Para([Str('Here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('paragraph.')]), Para([Str('And'), Space(), Str('another.')])])])
Fenced divs can be nested. Opening fences are distinguished because they must have attributes:
::: Warning ::::::
This is a warning.
::: Danger
This is a warning within a warning.
:::
::::::::::::::::::
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Div(('', ['Warning'], []), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('warning.')]), Div(('', ['Danger'], []), [Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('warning'), Space(), Str('within'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('warning.')])])])])
Fences without attributes are always closing fences. Unlike with fenced code blocks, the number of colons in the closing fence need not match the number in the opening fence. However, it can be helpful for visual clarity to use fences of different lengths to distinguish nested divs from their parents.
Extension: bracketed_spans¶
A bracketed sequence of inlines, as one would use to begin a link, will
be treated as a Span with attributes if it is followed immediately by
attributes:
[This is *some text*]{.class key="val"}
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Span(('', ['class'], [('key', 'val')]), [Str('This'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Emph([Str('some'), Space(), Str('text')])])])])
Footnotes¶
Extension: footnotes¶
Pandoc's Markdown allows footnotes, using the following syntax:
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.
{ some.code }
The whole paragraph can be indented, or just the first
line. In this way, multi-paragraph footnotes work like
multi-paragraph list items.
This paragraph won't be part of the note, because it
isn't indented.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('footnote'), Space(), Str('reference,'), Note([Para([Str('Here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('footnote.')])]), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('another.'), Note([Para([Str('Here’s'), Space(), Str('one'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('multiple'), Space(), Str('blocks.')]), Para([Str('Subsequent'), Space(), Str('paragraphs'), Space(), Str('are'), Space(), Str('indented'), Space(), Str('to'), Space(), Str('show'), Space(), Str('that'), Space(), Str('they'), SoftBreak(), Str('belong'), Space(), Str('to'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('previous'), Space(), Str('footnote.')]), CodeBlock(('', [], []), '{ some.code }'), Para([Str('The'), Space(), Str('whole'), Space(), Str('paragraph'), Space(), Str('can'), Space(), Str('be'), Space(), Str('indented,'), Space(), Str('or'), Space(), Str('just'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('first'), SoftBreak(), Str('line.'), Space(), Str('In'), Space(), Str('this'), Space(), Str('way,'), Space(), Str('multi-paragraph'), Space(), Str('footnotes'), Space(), Str('work'), Space(), Str('like'), SoftBreak(), Str('multi-paragraph'), Space(), Str('list'), Space(), Str('items.')])])]), Para([Str('This'), Space(), Str('paragraph'), Space(), Str('won’t'), Space(), Str('be'), Space(), Str('part'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('the'), Space(), Str('note,'), Space(), Str('because'), Space(), Str('it'), SoftBreak(), Str('isn’t'), Space(), Str('indented.')])])
The identifiers in footnote references may not contain spaces, tabs, or newlines. These identifiers are used only to correlate the footnote reference with the note itself; in the output, footnotes will be numbered sequentially.
The footnotes themselves need not be placed at the end of the document. They may appear anywhere except inside other block elements (lists, block quotes, tables, etc.). Each footnote should be separated from surrounding content (including other footnotes) by blank lines.
Extension: inline_notes¶
Inline footnotes are also allowed (though, unlike regular notes, they cannot contain multiple paragraphs). The syntax is as follows:
Here is an inline note.^[Inline notes are easier to write, since
you don't have to pick an identifier and move down to type the
note.]
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Here'), Space(), Str('is'), Space(), Str('an'), Space(), Str('inline'), Space(), Str('note.'), Note([Para([Str('Inline'), Space(), Str('notes'), Space(), Str('are'), Space(), Str('easier'), Space(), Str('to'), Space(), Str('write,'), Space(), Str('since'), SoftBreak(), Str('you'), Space(), Str('don’t'), Space(), Str('have'), Space(), Str('to'), Space(), Str('pick'), Space(), Str('an'), Space(), Str('identifier'), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('move'), Space(), Str('down'), Space(), Str('to'), Space(), Str('type'), Space(), Str('the'), SoftBreak(), Str('note.')])])])])
Inline and regular footnotes may be mixed freely.
Citation syntax¶
Extension: citations¶
To cite a bibliographic item with an identifier foo, use the syntax
@foo. Normal citations should be included in square brackets, with
semicolons separating distinct items:
Blah blah [@doe99; @smith2000; @smith2004].
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Blah'), Space(), Str('blah'), Space(), Cite([Citation('doe99', [], [], NormalCitation(), 1, 0), Citation('smith2000', [], [], NormalCitation(), 1, 0), Citation('smith2004', [], [], NormalCitation(), 1, 0)], [Str('[@doe99;'), Space(), Str('@smith2000;'), Space(), Str('@smith2004]')]), Str('.')])])
How this is rendered depends on the citation style. In an author-date style, it might render as
Blah blah (Doe 1999, Smith 2000, 2004).
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Blah'), Space(), Str('blah'), Space(), Str('(Doe'), Space(), Str('1999,'), Space(), Str('Smith'), Space(), Str('2000,'), Space(), Str('2004).')])])
In a footnote style, it might render as
Blah blah.[^1]
[^1]: John Doe, "Frogs," *Journal of Amphibians* 44 (1999);
Susan Smith, "Flies," *Journal of Insects* (2000);
Susan Smith, "Bees," *Journal of Insects* (2004).
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Blah'), Space(), Str('blah.'), Note([Para([Str('John'), Space(), Str('Doe,'), Space(), Quoted(DoubleQuote(), [Str('Frogs,')]), Space(), Emph([Str('Journal'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('Amphibians')]), Space(), Str('44'), Space(), Str('(1999);'), SoftBreak(), Str('Susan'), Space(), Str('Smith,'), Space(), Quoted(DoubleQuote(), [Str('Flies,')]), Space(), Emph([Str('Journal'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('Insects')]), Space(), Str('(2000);'), SoftBreak(), Str('Susan'), Space(), Str('Smith,'), Space(), Quoted(DoubleQuote(), [Str('Bees,')]), Space(), Emph([Str('Journal'), Space(), Str('of'), Space(), Str('Insects')]), Space(), Str('(2004).')])])])])
See the CSL user documentation for more information about CSL styles and how they affect rendering.
Unless a citation key starts with a letter, digit, or _, and contains
only alphanumerics and single internal punctuation characters
(:.#$%&-+?<>~/), it must be surrounded by curly braces, which are not
considered part of the key. In @Foo_bar.baz., the key is Foo_bar.baz
because the final period is not internal punctuation, so it is not
included in the key. In @{Foo_bar.baz.}, the key is Foo_bar.baz.,
including the final period. In @Foo_bar--baz, the key is Foo_bar
because the repeated internal punctuation characters terminate the key.
The curly braces are recommended if you use URLs as keys:
[@{https://example.com/bib?name=foobar&date=2000}, p. 33].
Citation items may optionally include a prefix, a locator, and a suffix. In
Blah blah [see @doe99, pp. 33-35 and *passim*; @smith04, chap. 1].
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Blah'), Space(), Str('blah'), Space(), Cite([Citation('doe99', [Str('see')], [Str(','), Space(), Str('pp.\xa033-35'), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Emph([Str('passim')])], NormalCitation(), 1, 0), Citation('smith04', [], [Str(','), Space(), Str('chap.\xa01')], NormalCitation(), 1, 0)], [Str('[see'), Space(), Str('@doe99,'), Space(), Str('pp.'), Space(), Str('33-35'), Space(), Str('and'), Space(), Str('*passim*;'), Space(), Str('@smith04,'), Space(), Str('chap.'), Space(), Str('1]')]), Str('.')])])
the first item (doe99) has prefix see, locator pp. 33-35, and
suffix and *passim*. The second item (smith04) has locator chap. 1
and no prefix or suffix.
Pandoc uses some heuristics to separate the locator from the rest of the
subject. It is sensitive to the locator terms defined in the CSL locale
files. Either
abbreviated or unabbreviated forms are accepted. In the en-US locale,
locator terms can be written in either singular or plural forms, as
book, bk./bks.; chapter, chap./chaps.; column,
col./cols.; figure, fig./figs.; folio, fol./fols.;
number, no./nos.; line, l./ll.; note, n./nn.; opus,
op./opp.; page, p./pp.; paragraph, para./paras.; part,
pt./pts.; section, sec./secs.; sub verbo, s.v./s.vv.;
verse, v./vv.; volume, vol./vols.; ¶/¶¶; §/§§. If no
locator term is used, "page" is assumed.
In complex cases, you can force something to be treated as a locator by enclosing it in curly braces or prevent parsing the suffix as locator by prepending curly braces:
[@smith{ii, A, D-Z}, with a suffix]
[@smith, {pp. iv, vi-xi, (xv)-(xvii)} with suffix here]
[@smith{}, 99 years later]
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Cite([Citation('smith', [], [Str('{ii,'), Space(), Str('A,'), Space(), Str('D-Z},'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('suffix')], NormalCitation(), 1, 0)], [Str('[@smith{ii,'), Space(), Str('A,'), Space(), Str('D-Z},'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('a'), Space(), Str('suffix]')]), SoftBreak(), Cite([Citation('smith', [], [Str(','), Space(), Str('{pp.\xa0iv,'), Space(), Str('vi-xi,'), Space(), Str('(xv)-(xvii)}'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('suffix'), Space(), Str('here')], NormalCitation(), 2, 0)], [Str('[@smith,'), Space(), Str('{pp.'), Space(), Str('iv,'), Space(), Str('vi-xi,'), Space(), Str('(xv)-(xvii)}'), Space(), Str('with'), Space(), Str('suffix'), Space(), Str('here]')]), SoftBreak(), Cite([Citation('smith', [], [Str('{},'), Space(), Str('99'), Space(), Str('years'), Space(), Str('later')], NormalCitation(), 3, 0)], [Str('[@smith{},'), Space(), Str('99'), Space(), Str('years'), Space(), Str('later]')])])])
A minus sign (-) before the @ will suppress mention of the author in
the citation. This can be useful when the author is already mentioned in
the text:
Smith says blah [-@smith04].
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('Smith'), Space(), Str('says'), Space(), Str('blah'), Space(), Cite([Citation('smith04', [], [], SuppressAuthor(), 1, 0)], [Str('[-@smith04]')]), Str('.')])])
You can also write an author-in-text citation, by omitting the square brackets:
@smith04 says blah.
@smith04 [p. 33] says blah.
Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Cite([Citation('smith04', [], [], AuthorInText(), 1, 0)], [Str('@smith04')]), Space(), Str('says'), Space(), Str('blah.')]), Para([Cite([Citation('smith04', [], [Str('p.\xa033')], AuthorInText(), 2, 0)], [Str('@smith04'), Space(), Str('[p.'), Space(), Str('33]')]), Space(), Str('says'), Space(), Str('blah.')])])
This will cause the author's name to be rendered, followed by the bibliographical details. Use this form when you want to make the citation the subject of a sentence.
When you are using a note style, it is usually better to let citeproc create the footnotes from citations rather than writing an explicit note. If you do write an explicit note that contains a citation, note that normal citations will be put in parentheses, while author-in-text citations will not. For this reason, it is sometimes preferable to use the author-in-text style inside notes when using a note style.
-
The point of this rule is to ensure that normal paragraphs starting with people's initials, like
B. Russell was an English philosopher.Pandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('B.'), Space(), Str('Russell'), Space(), Str('was'), Space(), Str('an'), Space(), Str('English'), Space(), Str('philosopher.')])])do not get treated as list items.
This rule will not prevent
(C) 2007 Joe SmithPandoc(Meta({}), [OrderedList((3, UpperAlpha(), TwoParens()), [[Plain([Str('2007'), Space(), Str('Joe'), Space(), Str('Smith')])]])])from being interpreted as a list item. In this case, a backslash escape can be used:
(C\) 2007 Joe SmithPandoc(Meta({}), [Para([Str('(C)'), Space(), Str('2007'), Space(), Str('Joe'), Space(), Str('Smith')])]) -
I have been influenced by the suggestions of David Wheeler. ↩
-
This scheme is due to Michel Fortin, who proposed it on the Markdown discussion list. ↩