This blog post explores using eqn, a pre-troff equation formatter, to generate MathML for static websites. The author details their process of converting eqn syntax to MathML using geqn and groff, emphasizing its simplicity and suitability for static site generation. They highlight eqn's ease of use compared to LaTeX and demonstrate the process with a practical example, showcasing the conversion steps and the resulting rendered MathML embedded in HTML. This approach allows for maintainable, human-readable equation source files while leveraging standard tools to produce accessible and widely compatible mathematical expressions on the web.
This blog post by Douglas Rumbaugh explores a method for generating mathematical equations on a static website using eqn, a pre-Troff tool designed for typesetting mathematics. Rumbaugh meticulously details a process that leverages the power of eqn while circumventing the need for a dedicated Troff processor. His approach focuses on converting the eqn output into MathML, a web-standard language for describing mathematical notations within HTML. This allows for seamless integration of complex equations into static web pages without relying on client-side JavaScript or external libraries.
Rumbaugh begins by elucidating the benefits of using eqn, citing its conciseness and familiarity for those accustomed to LaTeX. He contrasts this with the verbosity and complexity of writing MathML directly. The core of his technique revolves around utilizing the groff system, specifically the geqn preprocessor and the -Thtml option to translate eqn syntax into HTML with embedded MathML. This generates a robust and semantically rich representation of the equations suitable for modern web browsers.
The post provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to implementing this method. It starts with installing the necessary tools, groff being the primary requirement. Rumbaugh then demonstrates how to construct an eqn file, embedding mathematical expressions within delimiters. He meticulously explains the command to process this file using geqn and groff, emphasizing the -Thtml option for HTML output with MathML elements.
Furthermore, the post includes clear examples of eqn syntax, showcasing how to represent various mathematical symbols, operators, and structures, including fractions, superscripts, subscripts, and Greek letters. These examples provide a practical understanding of how to translate mathematical concepts into eqn notation. He also demonstrates how the resulting MathML code integrates seamlessly within an HTML file, ensuring the equations are rendered correctly in the browser.
Finally, Rumbaugh acknowledges potential browser compatibility issues with MathML and suggests polyfills as a solution for older browsers lacking native support. This comprehensive approach ensures the equations are accessible to a wider audience, regardless of their browser choice. He concludes by highlighting the advantages of his method, emphasizing its efficiency and simplicity for static websites, thereby offering a compelling alternative to more complex, JavaScript-dependent solutions.
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42894660
HN users largely praised the simplicity and elegance of using
eqnfor math rendering, particularly in contrast to MathJax or LaTeX. Several appreciated the author's demonstration of a straightforward, lightweight approach for static sites, avoiding JavaScript dependencies. Some discussed the limitations ofeqn, such as lack of support for more complex equations and symbols, while others offered alternative tools like KaTeX and MathML. One user pointed out potential accessibility issues and suggested investigating MathML for better screen reader compatibility. The overall sentiment favoredeqnfor its ease of use in simple scenarios, but acknowledged the need for more robust solutions for complex mathematical content.The Hacker News post "Using eqn for static website equation generation" discussing the blog post about using
eqnfor math rendering sparked a relatively short but focused discussion. Several commenters shared their experiences and alternative approaches to rendering math on static websites.One commenter pointed out the existence of
neqn, a newer version ofeqnthat offers improvements and is generally recommended over the original. They also highlighted the utility of pre-rendering equations into SVG format, which offers better performance and wider browser compatibility compared to relying on client-side rendering. This commenter also cautioned against using server-side rendering due to the potential security risks associated with executing arbitrary LaTeX code, a concern echoed by another commenter.Another participant shared their preference for using MathJax, a popular JavaScript library for displaying math, emphasizing its support for LaTeX, MathML, and AsciiMath notations. They appreciated the ability to simply embed LaTeX code directly into their HTML and let MathJax handle the rendering client-side.
One commenter described their workflow of using Pandoc to convert Markdown files containing LaTeX equations into HTML with MathML, similar to the approach described in the original blog post. However, they expressed their preference for pre-rendering the MathML into SVG for better performance and to avoid issues with MathML support across different browsers. They suggested using a tool like
pandoc-eqnosfor this purpose.Another commenter briefly mentioned a Python script they'd written for a similar purpose, though they didn't provide further details. This suggests that various custom solutions exist for generating static math content.
The overall sentiment seems to be that while
eqncan be used, other tools and methods, especially those involving pre-rendering into SVG format for performance and compatibility reasons, are generally preferred. The discussion highlights the ongoing challenges and considerations involved in rendering mathematical equations on the web, including security concerns, browser compatibility, and the choice between client-side and server-side rendering.