Bridging the Gap Between Markdown and Web Technologies with MDX
Prior to the World Wide Web, the act of writing remained consistent for centuries. Words were put on paper, and occasionally, people would read them. The tools might change — quills, printing presses, typewriters, pens, what have you — and an adventurous author may throw in imagery to complement their copy.
But with the advent of the web, writing went from static to interactive and dynamic. Web development progressed, and the creative possibilities of digital content grew exponentially. The line between web writing and web technologies is now blurry. As someone who straddles the world of engineering and journalism, I’ve come to view this overlap as the future.
Writing for the web is different from traditional forms of writing. It’s a versatile process that isn’t one-size-fits-all. Embracing these differences and exploring new formats like MDX can enhance not just what we write but how we write it as well.
A Little About Markdown
At its core, MDX is Markdown with components embedded within it. Markdown, created by John Gruber in 2003, is a lightweight markup language now widely used across various platforms. Markdown aims to provide an easy-to-read and easy-to-write plain text format that can be easily converted into HTML. With the rise of digital content, Markdown has become an integral part of many workflows, especially in blogging and online publishing.
However, Markdown’s simplicity can sometimes be limiting. While it excels at conveying words and images, it falls short when it comes to more dynamic and interactive content.
This where MDX comes in, offering a bridge between Markdown and modern web technologies, allowing for richer multimedia content and increased interactivity. By leveraging components and web development frameworks like React, MDX opens up a world of possibilities for creating engaging digital experiences.
Further Reading
A Little About Components
The rise of web development frameworks like React and Vue has ushered in a new era of rich interactive web experiences. With reusable components, web developers can create interactive elements that respond to user input and data changes. MDX builds on this concept, offering a way to seamlessly integrate components into Markdown content.
MDX is like a bridge that connects Markdown with modern web tooling, combining Markdown’s simplicity with the creative possibilities of modern web frameworks.
By embracing this overlap between writing and coding, we unlock new possibilities for creating immersive and engaging digital content.
Further Reading
A Case Study
My journey with MDX began with a side project called Teeline.online. As a former journalist and now a software engineer, I wanted to create a platform for learning Teeline shorthand. Using the Svelte framework and MDsveX, I was able to combine Markdown’s simplicity with interactive components to enhance the learning experience.
(gg, yk)