Remarkannotation

Remarkannotation is a plugin concept within the remark Markdown processing ecosystem that enables the embedding of annotations in Markdown documents. It defines a dedicated syntax and corresponding AST nodes so writers can attach explanations, definitions, or references to specific passages without disrupting the main text flow.

It is not a formal standard; implementations vary. The aim is to keep source Markdown readable while providing structured data that can be rendered into HTML or other formats. By leveraging remark's plugin architecture, remarkannotation can be combined with other processors and transformers.

Key features include parsing of annotation tokens into mdast nodes, support for inline and block annotations, and configurable rendering strategies such as tooltips, side panels, footnotes, or collapsible notes. Many implementations also offer metadata fields for author, date, or tag, and options for styling and accessibility.

Syntax and rendering are implementation dependent. Typical approaches use a marker after a phrase to signal an annotation, with a separate block for longer notes. The rendering step aims to produce accessible HTML, with aria attributes and keyboard support for interactive elements.

Usage scenarios include technical documentation, educational materials, and collaborative writing where contextual notes aid comprehension. The approach complements features like footnotes and citations and is evaluated on ease of use, performance, and compatibility with existing remark pipelines.

See also: Markdown, Remark, mdast, rehype, footnotes.