Tachyonn Syntax Guide

Welcome to the complete reference for the Tachyonn presentation language. If the Quick Start got you up and running, this guide is where you go to understand every feature in depth.

It's organized so you can read it front to back, or dip in wherever you need an answer. Each page is self-contained, with examples you can copy straight into your .tac file.

Essentials

Start here. These pages cover the ideas and building blocks you'll use in every presentation.

• Essential Concepts — Blocks, markup signals, and how Tachyonn thinks about your content.
• Slides — Section dividers, content slides, IDs, and per-slide settings.
• Paragraphs — Writing text and formatting it inline.
• Lists — Bulleted, numbered, and nested lists.
• Labels — Marking slides so you can link to them.

Inline Formatting & Functions

The richer building blocks: links, images, code, and more.

• Links — External links and internal cross-references.
• Images — Inserting and styling images.
• Code Blocks — Syntax-highlighted code samples.
• Superscript & Subscript — Raised and lowered text.
• Tables — Structured data.
• Variables — /var[…], from the frontmatter or a macro.
• Graphs & Diagrams — Mermaid, and where charts come from.
• References — Linking to your labels.
• Footnotes — Supplementary notes (planned).

Configuration

Control how your deck looks and behaves.

• Deck Properties — Metadata and global styling.
• Layouts — The eleven built-in slide layouts.
• Footer — Page numbers, names, and logos.
• Themes — Built-in themes and your own .tt files.
• Keyboard Shortcuts — Navigating and presenting.
• PDF Export — Exporting your deck, animations and all.

Built-in Components

The pieces that aren't plain prose.

• Highlight Boxes — ### boxes inside a slide: standard, alert, example, or your own.
• Math — LaTeX with KaTeX, and global texMacro: shorthands.
• Other Components — Mermaid diagrams, Nerd Font icons, embedded Vue components.

Best Practices

• Writing good decks — Content, pacing, and keeping a course maintainable.

Extra Topics

• Speaker Notes — Private notes, presenter mode, the timer, two screens.
• Preview Tools — The authoring menu: full reload, style inspector, quick export.
• Personalization — Raw CSS variables, spans with classes, your own stylesheets.
• Composition & Scripting — Macros, includes, loops, CSV tables, CLI housekeeping.
• Glossary — Definitions of Tachyonn terms.

Cheat Sheet

• Cheat Sheet — Every operator and option in one table. The page to keep open while writing.