Using the cmark Command (with examples)
Use Case 1: Render a CommonMark Markdown file to HTML
Code:
cmark --to html filename.md
Motivation: Converting a CommonMark Markdown file to HTML allows for easy integration of the formatted text into websites or applications that support HTML.
Explanation:
The --to flag is used to specify the output format, in this case, HTML. The filename.md argument is the name of the CommonMark Markdown file that will be converted to HTML.
Example Output:
If the input file filename.md contains the following content:
# My Markdown File
This is a paragraph of text.
The output HTML will be:
<h1>My Markdown File</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph of text.</p>
Use Case 2: Convert data from stdin to LaTeX
Code:
cmark --to latex
Motivation:
Converting data from stdin to LaTeX format is useful when working with LaTeX-based document processing systems and publishing platforms.
Explanation:
By not specifying an input filename and instead using stdin, you can enter the Markdown content directly into the command line. The --to flag is used to specify that the output format should be LaTeX.
Example Output: If you type the following Markdown content into the command line:
# My Markdown File
This is a paragraph of text.
The output LaTeX will be:
\section{My Markdown File}
This is a paragraph of text.
Use Case 3: Convert straight quotes to smart quotes
Code:
cmark --smart --to html filename.md
Motivation: Replacing straight quotes with smart quotes not only enhances the typographic appearance of the text but also helps convey meaning and improve readability.
Explanation:
The --smart flag instructs cmark to replace straight quotes with the appropriate curly quotes. The filename.md argument specifies the input CommonMark Markdown file, and the --to flag specifies that the output format should be HTML.
Example Output:
If the input file filename.md contains the following content:
"Hello," said the person. 'How are you?'
The output HTML will be:
“Hello,” said the person. ‘How are you?’
Use Case 4: Validate UTF-8 characters
Code:
cmark --validate-utf8 filename.md
Motivation: Validating UTF-8 characters ensures that the text is properly encoded and that there are no invalid or corrupted characters that could cause issues during processing or rendering.
Explanation:
The --validate-utf8 flag enables UTF-8 validation for the specified CommonMark Markdown file (filename.md). This flag can help identify any potential character encoding issues.
Example Output:
If the input file filename.md contains the following content with a corrupted character:
# Café
The output will indicate the presence of an invalid UTF-8 character:
ERROR(filename.md:1:5): invalid UTF-8 sequence
By utilizing the different options and arguments provided by the cmark command, you can easily convert CommonMark Markdown files to different formats, such as HTML and LaTeX, modify typographic elements, and validate character encoding. These examples demonstrate the versatility and utility of the cmark command for various text processing needs.
