Re: [Python-markdown-discuss] Also Deprecating mdx_* extension names?

[Frederik D. <fd...@gm...>]

> I would like to deprecate support for the `mdx_*` naming convention

Sounds like a good idea to me - though I'm not sure I'm qualified to
assess that. (My only extension is [Markdown Checklist].)

> I have also considered deprecating the special treatment of the
> included extensions.

I'd very much welcome that as well.

> this would require almost all our users to change their code

In that case, allow me to suggest an alternative approach: If there was
an explicit designation-package mapping for shortcuts (QName[^1]-style),
the core extensions could continue to be used just as they are now
without the need for special treatment within the code base. That is,
the default mapping might look like this:

    { # designation: package reference
        'extra': 'markdown.extensions.extra',
        'wikilinks': 'markdown.extensions.wikilinks',
        ...
    }

Thus `extensions=['extra']` would resolve - via mechanisms yet to be
determined[^2] - to `extensions=['markdown.extensions.extra']`.

This also seems to go well with the YAML/JSON config file suggested in
the adjacent thread.

(Note that it's been a while since I've dug into the source, so this
proposal might not be practical for one reason or another.)


[^1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QName

[^2]: it might be as simple as prefixing designations with a colon to
      allow for dotless package references - or, even simpler (for users
      anyway), use the mapping only if the respective designation cannot
      be imported

[Markdown Checklist]: https://github.com/FND/markdown-checklist