Pandoc's `span` classes (tokens) are too simplistic

[badlydrawnrob]

For example, .fu class styles a lot more elements than a token in Visual Studio Code does.

• This makes it incredibly difficult (impossible) to recreate someone's theme with Pandoc's Skylighting.
• We're using Breeze Dark Theme plugin for Visual Studio Code as an example.
• I've logged an issue with Pandoc and it seems like something I might be able to change myself

• Pygmentize with Pandoc #145 (possible fix, but I don't really understand it and seems to require Python's Pygments)¹
• Skylighting/Pandoc problems with .classes and --color #134 More examples of the issue (with Monokai theme)

The below issues are some of the problems we have to face creating a nice syntax highlighting theme, or modifying one. It's by no means exhaustive, but in an ideal world, these issues would be fixed!

Some things are impossible

Different colours for functions() and function(arguments) are not possible

Coloured brackets are not possible

.op (Operator class) is not nuanced enough (compared with VSC)

Some things feel wrong?

.dv (Decimal Value) used for CSS values. Doesn't seem right?

Some things are difficult

Comments are not differentiated in Pandoc?

.dt are shared across different language types, meaning you've got to take care making decisions about color.

Footnotes

1. We've already travelled this road before. Trying to hack javascript to make highlight.js work, exploring Pygments or add-ons to extend our flashcards, and lots of other little problems that make our life more complicated. Pandoc is the easiest of the bunch, but comes with tradeoffs. ↩