This page documents hVmark v1.x. See Changelog for updates.

hVmark

hVmark is a tiny, opinionated markup language made by and for, well, me. While it's used all over this website, it's primarily used in posts in lieu of hard-coded HTML.

// Inline Markers

Text Formatting

• Bold: *text*
• Emphasis (Italics): %text%
• Strike: -text-
• Underline: _text_

Misc.

• Soft line break: [] → <br>
• Horizontal rule: --- → <hr>
  Three or more -, *, or _ characters on their own line will output a horizontal rule.
  Output styling depends on configuration.
• Subheading: *// Subheading Text*
• Subheading output: <h# id="subheading-text">// Subheading Text</h#>
  Actual heading level is based on config.
• Optional TOC: If two or more subheadings are found, a table of contents will be generated. The TOC is automatically placed under the main heading (<h1>) of the page, at the top of the page if a main heading isn't present, or at the location of
  <!--HV_TOC-->.

// Links, Images, YouTube

All use the same “anchor + fangs” pattern: @@anchor^fangs^

• Links: @@https://example.com/^Link text^
  (leave fangs empty to use the URL as text, e.g. @@https://example.com/^^)
• Images: @@img:/path/file.jpg^Caption^ (85% width by default; caption optional)
  Full: @@img:/path/file.jpg[50px|25% left|right|center|blank]^Caption^
• YouTube: @@ytb:VIDEOID^Caption^ (caption optional)

// Lists

• Dotted: one item per line starting with [+]
• Plain: one item per line starting with [-]
• Soft breaks are allowed inside items via []

// Notes & Quirks

• Order matters when nesting: * and % are forgiving, but consistent nesting is recommended.
• Inline raw HTML on a line disables hVmark parsing on that line.
• A backslash (\) will escape an inline marker and output the literal symbol.
  (e.g., \% will output %.)
• Despite the above, the symbols used for inline markers do not appear in the alt text of images, escaped or not.
• Emojis are supported in regular text, but not in subheadings.
• Subheadings with similar names will have duplicate IDs; the TOC generator does not add incrementing suffixes.
• Blockquotes are not currently part of v1.

// Changelog

Conventions

v[major].[minor].[patch]

// [2025-12-29] - v1.5.0

• Added horizontal rule markers
  (---, *** and ___)
• Cleaned up vanilla reference model
• Misc. output cleanup

// [2025-12-27] - v1.4.1 | Vanilla Reference Model

• Project up to this point was made available via GitHub.
• Site-specific code was removed;
  model contains the root functionality.
• Published under the MIT license.
• Download Here

// [2025-11-15] - v1.4.0

• Parser consistency pass for anchors/fangs (images & YouTube)
• Global image behavior normalized; width/align controlled at source
• Added style-fallbacks to make targeted output CSS-agnostic
• Minor general output cleanup
• Mobile accessibility at fully working state

// [2025-10-22] - v1.3.0

• Global declarations added for centralized control
• Added subheading marker
  *// Heading* → <h# id="…">
• Auto-TOC under first <h1>/<h2> or at <!--HV_TOC-->

// [2025-09-30] - v1.2.0

• Module consolidation and general housekeeping
• Regex tightening for text-formatting markers
• Misc. bug fixes

// [2025-09-09] - v1.1.0

• Escapes: '\* \% \- \_ \[]' (literal output)
• Image size '[px|%]' and alignment 'left|right|center|blank'
• Misc. bug fixes

// [2025-09-05] - v1.0.0

• v1 initial: strict per-line parsing; inline HTML on a line disables hVmark on that line
• Inline text-formatting markers
• “Anchor + fangs” for links/images/YouTube
• Soft line break [] inside lists/captions
• Lists: [+] (square) and [-] (plain)
• Wired root hVmark parser into existing auto-paragraphing framework

// Demo

<h1>hVmark Demo</h1> I can write *in bold* and %in italics%. I can -strike things out- and _underline_ them. Line breaks are automatic, []except for when they're not. *// Links Demo* @@https://0uts1de.hisvirusness.com/^Join my webring^ if you haven't already. Or check out my @@/now^^ page. *// Image Demo[size defaults to 85%]* @@img:/works/2d-hisvirusness.png[50%]^This is a caption. []And this is %with emphasis.%^ *// YouTube Demo* @@ytb:ftyf3tr_qAk^%"I was an emo kid in high school... []The emotion I chose was *HAPPINESS.*"% []- Aaron Kozbial^ *// Lists Demo* [+] First thing [+] Second thing []with a soft break [+] Third thing [-] Plain one [-] Plain two %with emphasis% [-] Plain three []and another soft break

---

Output (HTML)

hVmark Demo

I can write in bold and in italics.

I can strike things out and underline them.

Line breaks are automatic,
except for when they're not.

---

// Links Demo

Join my webring if you haven't already.

Or check out my /now page.

---

// Image Demo[size defaults to 85%]

---

// YouTube Demo

---

// Lists Demo

• First thing
• Second thing
  with a soft break
• Third thing

• Plain one
• Plain two with emphasis
• Plain three
  and another soft break

hVmark v1 is available under the MIT license.
hVmark is not a general-purpose Markdown replacement; it’s a small, strict tool I actively use and maintain.