Matdown is a compact, dependency-free equation parser that turns lightweight math expressions into styled, semantic HTML — no LaTeX, no external libraries, no regrets.
It’s inspired by the realization that game engines, like cloud services, are just real-time systems — and HTML/CSS are expressive primitives that deserve more credit.
- ✅ No parser generators
- ✅ No ASTs
- ✅ No LaTeX
- ✅ No DOM hell
- ✅ No stylesheets from the Math Wizard Society™ ruining your vibe
Instead:
- ✨ Uses recursive string parsing
- ✨ Renders DOM directly (fractions, exponents, etc.)
- ✨ Leverages the box model & inline layout
- ✨ Comes with a modular, non-intrusive context menu UI
(1+x)^2 / (2x - 3)
<div class="fraction">
<span class="numerator">(1+x)<sup>2</sup></span>
<span class="denominator">(2x - 3)</span>
</div>- Function:
buildNode(exp) - Splits expression by outermost operator
- Recursively wraps sub-parts into semantic HTML containers
- Function:
matchingParens(str) - Uses a counter-based matcher to balance
()pairs safely
- Left-to-right scan
- Evaluates only outermost operators unless overridden by parentheses
- Fast and linear for common math expressions
- Smart input filtering using
.filter()on a static symbol list - Zero-cost search experience for inline math menus
They're bloated, margin-fighting, box-model-reinventing beasts.
You don’t need a compiler to render a fraction. You need a <div>. Matdown leans into browser-native layouts — because HTML is the universal rendering target anyway.
Good : Games :: Well-Architected : Cloud Implementations
HTML and CSS aren’t just for design — they’re universal, transferable skills. If you know how to style a fraction, you can style a dashboard, a mobile shell, or a pixel-perfect game HUD. That’s runtime literacy.
- Inline editing
- Touch-friendly symbol picker
- Expand support for integrals/summations
- Export to SVG or Canvas
Daniel Chahla
Matdown was born from frustration — and built for clarity.
MIT License — Bop it, fork it, remix it. Just don’t LaTeX it.