Definition Lists#

Copy as MarkdownView Markdown

Glossaries, option references, and protocol fields often need a term next to one or more definitions. Tables are too heavy for that. The compact PHP Markdown Extra / mdBook form is opt-in and off by default, so existing pandoc-style source stays ordinary paragraphs and lists until a site turns this on.

import { oxContent } from "@ox-content/vite-plugin";

export default {
  plugins: [
    oxContent({
      definitionLists: true,
    }),
  ],
};

false or omitted leaves the source unchanged. true or an object enables the transform. There is no client JavaScript.

Authoring#

Write a term on its own line, then one or more definitions that start with : (colon and space):

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol

Also the name of the request/response protocol used by the web.

TLS

Transport Layer Security

HTTP
: Hypertext Transfer Protocol
: Also the name of the request/response protocol used by the web.

TLS
: Transport Layer Security

The renderer emits a semantic list with a stable class for themes:

<dl class="ox-definition-list">
  <dt>…</dt>
  <dd>…</dd>
</dl>

Inline Markdown inside terms and definitions is parsed:

Status

A 2xx response means success.

**Status**
: A `2xx` response means **success**.

A blank line between the term and the first definition is also accepted. Several terms may share the following definitions. Invalid or ambiguous forms — a lone : definition, a list item followed by : , or a wrapped paragraph — stay ordinary paragraphs or lists.

Fenced, indented, and inline code, HTML comments, and raw code / pre / script / style are not rewritten.

Options#

oxContent({
  definitionLists: {
    enabled: true,
  },
});

Related#

• Syntax Extensions
• Keyboard Keys
• Built-in Features overview