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GitHub-flavored markdown supports syntax highlighting in codeblocks. This is done by adding the name of the language next to the triple-grave codeblock markers:

```ruby
require 'redcarpet'
markdown = Redcarpet.new("Hello World!")
puts markdown.to_html
```

Standard markdown also supports inline codeblocks by wrapping text in `single graves`. Is there any way to add syntax highlighting to these inline codeblocks?

Hydrothermal
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  • Assuming by "standard markdown," you mean CommonMark, the standard actually doesn't say anything about syntax highlighting. It just specifies how you can indicate something contains code. – Michael Mior Jun 19 '23 at 16:55

3 Answers3

55

GitHub comments, wikis, README.md etc. use GFM, essentially CommonMark with some extensions. There it's not possible. (Follow the link to see whether anything has changed, but don't hold your breath because nothing has in the last decade.)

However, GitHub Pages uses Jekyll and by extension kramdown where you can use:

`x = 4`{:.ruby}

P.S. If you happen to use pandoc, the syntax is:

`x = 4`{.ruby}
mb21
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-2

I had to do

`(inline code)`{:.language-clojure .highlihgt}

for it to work, you have to add .highlight class too. That only applies to Jekyll with kramdown.

Sharas
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Yes, it is possible with Github Markdown:

I needed to do the same with an XML-structure inside a table row (in my case defined with markdown, nit html, so with | | delimitiers for the table structure)

just put the desired Style-class (in my case .language-xml) within the Structure {: }

`<xml attrib="someVal"></xml>`{:.language-xml}

this will set the style of the table cell to highlight the code according to the set style class

i guess for ruby it then will just be 

{:.language-ruby}

took me over an hour to figure out, found the solution nowhere, so i thought i'd post it here if anyone stumbles upon this problem again.

nicolas gasser
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  • This solution doesn't work for me, at least when commenting on github issues. – iFreilicht Jun 21 '17 at 11:31
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    to be honest, i never tried to do it in Github comments. i've done it with GuitHub flavoured Markdown and github pages, and there it works. i've tried it just now on github issues. I couldn't find a fast way to make it work for github commenting... sorry that i could not help – nicolas gasser Jun 22 '17 at 11:44
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    Doesn't work for me. I tested in both Gist and a README.md. – pchaigno Aug 14 '17 at 11:13