cmark is a software library that specializes in converting text written in CommonMark Markdown format into various other formats. CommonMark is a standardized and widely-used syntax for writing structured text, commonly used for documentation, web content, and other forms of textual representation.
The cmark library provides a way to parse and process CommonMark Markdown documents, allowing developers to convert them into different output formats. Some of the supported output formats include HTML, XML, LaTeX, and plain text. This means that you can take a Markdown document written in CommonMark syntax and transform it into a format suitable for rendering on the web, generating printable documents, or performing further analysis.
The process of converting CommonMark Markdown to another format involves parsing the input text and applying transformations based on the target output format. cmark handles the complex task of interpreting the structure and semantics of the Markdown document, ensuring that the resulting output faithfully represents the original content.
The cmark library provides a straightforward API that developers can use to integrate the conversion functionality into their own applications or tools. By utilizing cmark, developers can save time and effort by not having to implement their own Markdown parsing and conversion logic.
cmark is designed to be portable and cross-platform, meaning it can be used on various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This allows developers to leverage its capabilities regardless of the platform they are developing for.
cmark Command Examples
1. Render a CommonMark Markdown file to HTML:
# cmark --to html filename.md
2. Convert data from standard input to LaTeX:
# cmark --to latex
3. Convert straight quotes to smart quotes:
# cmark --smart --to html filename.md
4. Validate UTF-8 characters:
# cmark --validate-utf8 filename.md
Summary
In summary, cmark is a library that facilitates the conversion of text written in CommonMark Markdown format into other formats. It simplifies the process of parsing and transforming Markdown documents, enabling developers to generate output suitable for different purposes, such as web rendering, document generation, and more.