remark plugin to support the generic directives proposal (:cite[smith04], ::youtube[Video of a cat in a box]{v=01ab2cd3efg}, and such).
Contents
What is this?
This package is a unified (remark) plugin to add support for directives: one syntax for arbitrary extensions in markdown.
When should I use this?
Directives are one of the four ways to extend markdown: an arbitrary extension syntax (see Extending markdown in micromark’s docs for the alternatives and more info). This mechanism works well when you control the content: who authors it, what tools handle it, and where it’s displayed. When authors can read a guide on how to embed a tweet but are not expected to know the ins and outs of HTML or JavaScript. Directives don’t work well if you don’t know who authors content, what tools handle it, and where it ends up. Example use cases are a docs website for a project or product, or blogging tools and static site generators.
If you just want to turn markdown into HTML (with maybe a few extensions such as this one), we recommend micromark with micromark-extension-directive instead. If you don’t use plugins and want to access the syntax tree, you can use mdast-util-from-markdown with mdast-util-directive.
Install
This package is ESM only. In Node.js (version 16+), install with npm:
npm install remark-directive
In Deno with esm.sh:
import remarkDirective from 'https://esm.sh/remark-directive@3'
In browsers with esm.sh:
<script type="module">
import remarkDirective from 'https://esm.sh/remark-directive@3?bundle'
</script>
Use
Say our document example.md contains:
:::main{#readme}
Lorem:br
ipsum.
::hr{.red}
A :i[lovely] language know as :abbr[HTML]{title="HyperText Markup Language"}.
:::
…and our module example.js contains:
// Register `hName`, `hProperties` types, used when turning markdown to HTML:
/// <reference types="mdast-util-to-hast" />
// Register directive nodes in mdast:
/// <reference types="mdast-util-directive" />
import {h} from 'hastscript'
import rehypeFormat from 'rehype-format'
import rehypeStringify from 'rehype-stringify'
import remarkDirective from 'remark-directive'
import remarkParse from 'remark-parse'
import remarkRehype from 'remark-rehype'
import {read} from 'to-vfile'
import {unified} from 'unified'
import {visit} from 'unist-util-visit'
const file = await unified()
.use(remarkParse)
.use(remarkDirective)
.use(myRemarkPlugin)
.use(remarkRehype)
.use(rehypeFormat)
.use(rehypeStringify)
.process(await read('example.md'))
console.log(String(file))
// This plugin is an example to let users write HTML with directives.
// It’s informative but rather useless.
// See below for others examples.
function myRemarkPlugin() {
/**
* @param {import('mdast').Root} tree
* Tree.
* @returns {undefined}
* Nothing.
*/
return function (tree) {
visit(tree, function (node) {
if (
node.type === 'containerDirective' ||
node.type === 'leafDirective' ||
node.type === 'textDirective'
) {
const data = node.data || (node.data = {})
const hast = h(node.name, node.attributes || {})
data.hName = hast.tagName
data.hProperties = hast.properties
}
})
}
}
…then running node example.js yields:
<main id="readme">
<p>Lorem<br>ipsum.</p>
<hr class="red">
<p>A <i>lovely</i> language know as <abbr title="HyperText Markup Language">HTML</abbr>.</p>
</main>
API
This package exports no identifiers. The default export is remarkDirective.
Add support for generic directives.
Parameters
There are no parameters.
Returns
Nothing (undefined).
Notes
Doesn’t handle the directives: create your own plugin to do that.
Examples
Example: YouTube
This example shows how directives can be used for YouTube embeds. It’s based on the example in Use above. If myRemarkPlugin was replaced with this function:
// Register `hName`, `hProperties` types, used when turning markdown to HTML:
/// <reference types="mdast-util-to-hast" />
// Register directive nodes in mdast:
/// <reference types="mdast-util-directive" />
import {visit} from 'unist-util-visit'
// This plugin is an example to turn `::youtube` into iframes.
function myRemarkPlugin() {
/**
* @param {import('mdast').Root} tree
* Tree.
* @param {import('vfile').VFile} file
* File.
* @returns {undefined}
* Nothing.
*/
return (tree, file) => {
visit(tree, function (node) {
if (
node.type === 'containerDirective' ||
node.type === 'leafDirective' ||
node.type === 'textDirective'
) {
if (node.name !== 'youtube') return
const data = node.data || (node.data = {})
const attributes = node.attributes || {}
const id = attributes.id
if (node.type === 'textDirective') {
file.fail(
'Unexpected `:youtube` text directive, use two colons for a leaf directive',
node
)
}
if (!id) {
file.fail('Unexpected missing `id` on `youtube` directive', node)
}
data.hName = 'iframe'
data.hProperties = {
src: 'https://www.youtube.com/embed/' + id,
width: 200,
height: 200,
frameBorder: 0,
allow: 'picture-in-picture',
allowFullScreen: true
}
}
})
}
}
…and example.md contains:
# Cat videos
::youtube[Video of a cat in a box]{#01ab2cd3efg}
…then running node example.js yields:
<h1>Cat videos</h1>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/01ab2cd3efg" width="200" height="200" frameborder="0" allow="picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>Video of a cat in a box</iframe>
Example: Styled blocks
👉 Note: This is sometimes called admonitions, callouts, etc.
This example shows how directives can be used to style blocks. It’s based on the example in Use above. If myRemarkPlugin was replaced with this function:
// Register `hName`, `hProperties` types, used when turning markdown to HTML:
/// <reference types="mdast-util-to-hast" />
// Register directive nodes in mdast:
/// <reference types="mdast-util-directive" />
import {h} from 'hastscript'
import {visit} from 'unist-util-visit'
// This plugin is an example to turn `::note` into divs, passing arbitrary
// attributes.
function myRemarkPlugin() {
/**
* @param {import('mdast').Root} tree
* Tree.
* @returns {undefined}
* Nothing.
*/
return (tree) => {
visit(tree, (node) => {
if (
node.type === 'containerDirective' ||
node.type === 'leafDirective' ||
node.type === 'textDirective'
) {
if (node.name !== 'note') return
const data = node.data || (node.data = {})
const tagName = node.type === 'textDirective' ? 'span' : 'div'
data.hName = tagName
data.hProperties = h(tagName, node.attributes || {}).properties
}
})
}
}
…and example.md contains:
# How to use xxx
You can use xxx.
:::note{.warning}
if you chose xxx, you should also use yyy somewhere…
:::
…then running node example yields:
<h1>How to use xxx</h1>
<p>You can use xxx.</p>
<div class="warning">
<p>if you chose xxx, you should also use yyy somewhere…</p>
</div>
Authoring
When authoring markdown with directives, keep in mind that they don’t work in most places. On your own site it can be great!
HTML
You can define how directives are turned into HTML. If directives are not handled, they do not emit anything.
CSS
How to display directives is left as an exercise for the reader.
Syntax
See Syntax in micromark-extension-directive.
Syntax tree
See Syntax tree in mdast-util-directive.
Types
This package is fully typed with TypeScript. It exports no additional options.
If you’re working with the syntax tree, you can register the new node types with @types/mdast by adding a reference:
// Register directive nodes in mdast:
/// <reference types="mdast-util-directive" />
import {visit} from 'unist-util-visit'
function myRemarkPlugin() {
/**
* @param {import('mdast').Root} tree
* Tree.
* @returns {undefined}
* Nothing.
*/
return (tree) => {
visit(tree, function (node) {
console.log(node) // `node` can now be one of the nodes for directives.
})
}
}
Compatibility
Projects maintained by the unified collective are compatible with maintained versions of Node.js.
When we cut a new major release, we drop support for unmaintained versions of Node. This means we try to keep the current release line, remark-directive@^3, compatible with Node.js 16.
Security
Use of remark-directive does not involve rehype (hast) or user content so there are no openings for cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
Contribute
See contributing.md in remarkjs/.github for ways to get started. See support.md for ways to get help.
This project has a code of conduct. By interacting with this repository, organization, or community you agree to abide by its terms.
License
MIT © Titus Wormer