neoeinstein markdown-to-pdf
Converts a Markdown file to a styled PDF or HTML via Typst — no pandoc or LaTeX.
Requires zsh and the typst CLI (brew install typst); Typst auto-downloads the packages
it needs on first run, then works offline.
Usage
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/markdown-to-pdf <input.md> [output] # → input.pdf
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/markdown-to-pdf --format html <input.md> # → input.html
Other flags: --brand <path>, --classification <level>, --init-brand [--global],
--check. Run with --help for the full list.
Invoke unsandboxed — typst compile writes temp/output files and fetches packages on
first run, which the default Bash sandbox blocks.
Frontmatter
Optional YAML sets per-document metadata (title block + classification lookup):
---
title: Quarterly Review
subtitle: Reliability and cost
author: [Marcus Griep, Platform Team]
date: 2026-07-14
classification: Confidential
---
Booleans justify and hyphenate also work here. brand: selects a brand kit for the
document — a bare name (resolved to
~/.config/markdown-to-pdf/brands/<name>/brand.typ) or a path (relative to the doc, or
absolute). The --brand flag overrides it.
Branding
A brand.typ exporting #let brand = (...) — a partial dict deep-merged over the default
theme — overrides palette, fonts, page (incl. numbering), paragraph
(justify/hyphenate), logo, classifications, and footer-note. Resolution, unless --brand is given: project .markdown-to-pdf/brand.typ
→ ~/.config/markdown-to-pdf/brand.typ.
--init-brand [--global] scaffolds a commented starter — that file documents every key.
Authoring it is plain Typst; load the typst skill (same plugin) for the language.
Diagrams
Fenced ```mermaid, ```dot, and ```graphviz blocks render as diagrams (WASM, no
external tools), fetched only when used. Other languages stay syntax-highlighted code.
Callouts
GitHub-style alerts render as colored callouts: > [!NOTE], > [!TIP], > [!IMPORTANT],
> [!WARNING], > [!CAUTION]. Their colors and titles are theme-configurable (callouts).
Math
Inline $…$ auto-renders (via mitex) when the body carries a LaTeX token (\ ^ _ { }), is an
equation ($p = 0.5$), or is a short variable ($x$, $p_{99}$). Currency ($3.2K), env vars
($PATH, $PATH=$HOME), long tokens ($HOME$), and $ inside code stay literal. Use a
```math fenced block for display; escape \$ to force a literal that would otherwise render.
Gotchas
- Errors → run
--check(typst version, package reachability, brand resolution); report what's missing rather than installing it yourself. - Image paths resolve against the document's directory; a brand's
logopath againstbrand.typ. - HTML export is experimental (prints a disclaimer); page headers/footers are omitted.
- Math — inline
$…$converts with a LaTeX token, an=equation, or a short variable (see Math); currency,$PATH,$FOO=$BAR, and code$stay literal. Use```mathfor display; escape\$to force a literal. - Tildes — a lone
~(e.g.~16%,~$1K) is kept literal;~~text~~is strikethrough.