Feature Request: MathJax integration

[arhag]

Check it out: https://www.mathjax.org/

I should be able to write math in my post inline like so $a x^2 + b x + c = 0$.

Or I can do it as a display block like this:
$$
x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2 a}
$$

[arhag]

Here is another option: https://github.com/Khan/KaTeX

[jcalfee]

And another per @theoreticalbts suggestion: https://www.mathjax.org/

[arhag]

@jcalfee: 😄 I already suggested mathjax in the OP.

MathJax is the better option currently in terms of completeness of math rendering. Also it supports MathML (which is good for accessibility) and allows one to get the source of the render.

There are two downsides however:

• Apparently it is much slower than KaTeX to render.
• Out-of-the-box it only works client-side, whereas KaTeX can easily be used both client-side and server-side, which is nice for pre-rendering pages for search engines or for clients that want to view only without Javascript enabled (or even just as a further speed optimization for regular clients). However, there is a workaround to this, so that MathJax could be used server-side as well: http://pomax.github.io/1451617530567/react-with-latex-without-needing-client-side-mathjax

So there are trade-offs to consider.

[roadscape]

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like a simple drop-in:

• MathJax requires unsafe "Content Security Policy" mathjax/MathJax#256
• Re-activating MathJax support as an option on github wikis gollum/gollum#288
• Rendering math equations? github/markup#274

This sentiment appears to be all too common:

I know we've supported latex and MathJax in the past, and both caused a lot of headaches. We would be interesting in adding support for something as long as it is not a maintenance burden and doesn't open us up to security vulnerabilities.

and

latex just has so many feature that it's impossible for us to deploy it securely right now.

---

This could be implemented purely server-side, though it does raise another host of issues. If we render to images, or as "intricate" HTML, each present their own challenges while we are trying to keep our beta paradigms as simple as possible for security and maintenance.

Unless there is a math rendering package that is simple and secure, I think it's too early to invest too deeply into a solution like MathJax. An ideal future solution would be browser-based.

Closing this issue. Feel free to continue using it to track relevant developments, packages, and findings.

[fizyk20]

Is this still such a problem? The referenced issues seem to be closed and resolved for years (they have been even at the time of creation of this issue).

I must admit I don't know what the situation with MathJax is security-wise, but I can't really see how it can be a risk, and it would be a really valuable addition to the platform.

[RoyiAvital]

This is really needed for modern writing.
Usually including MathJax is pretty easy.

[ejgallego]

My humble vote to reopen this feature request; indeed I don't understand what the problem with Mathjax is, it is a purely client-side rendering suite and KaTeX is even lighter.

Without Mathjax many styles of writing are just impossible in steemit.

MathML servers a different purpose [and indeed Mathjax can output to it], in a sense it is comparable to markdown vs html [guess why nobody writes in raw HTML].