`Backspace` only removes one formatting character from an empty formatting snippet

[uNyanda]

• Date: 2026-07-24
• Type: Bug
• Severity: Minor

Environment

• OS: Linux
• WM: Niri
• Compositor: Wayland
• Software version: 2.16.0

Description

When a formatting shortcut inserts an empty Markdown formatting snippet, pressing Backspace before entering any text only removes a single formatting character instead of removing the entire snippet.

This affects all formatting shortcuts.

Steps to reproduce

1. Create or open a note.
2. Use any formatting shortcut (for example, Ctrl+B for Bold).
3. Without typing any text, press Backspace.

Expected Behaviour

If no text has been entered, pressing Backspace should remove the entire inserted formatting snippet in a single action.

For example:

• Bold: **|** -> (removed completely)
• Italic: *|* -> (removed completely)
• Strikethrough: ~~|~~ -> (removed completely)
• Highlight: ==|== -> (removed completely)
• Inline code: | -> (removed completely)

Actual Behaviour

Only a single formatting character is removed, leaving incomplete Markdown.

Examples:

• Bold: **|** -> *|**
• Italic: *|* -> |*
• Strikethrough: ~~|~~ -> ~|~~
• Highlight: ==|== -> =|==
• Inline code: | -> |`

Additional Notes

This issue is reproducible with every formatting shortcut tested, suggesting the behaviour is not specific to a single formatting selection.

[adibhanna]

Fixed.

Pressing Backspace inside a just-inserted empty formatting snippet now removes the whole pair in a single press instead of one marker character. This works for every formatting shortcut:

• Bold **|**, Italic *|*, Strikethrough ~~|~~, Highlight ==|==, Inline code `|`, Math $|$ → all cleared completely.

It matches on the longest marker first, so **|** clears all four characters, not *|*. A snippet that already has text (**text|**) is untouched — Backspace deletes normally there. The handler is gated the same way as the auto-close/auto-pairs behavior (active while typing — Vim off or Vim insert mode), so it never interferes with Backspace as a motion in Vim normal mode.

Verified in the running app (Ctrl+B → **|** → one Backspace → gone) and with unit + editor-keymap tests covering every marker.

Ships in v2.17.0.