HTML Specialization in addition to Markdown?

[photocyte]

I understand Markdown is a simple target for simple linear protocols, but for more complex protocols, would HTML not be a better target?

Every computer user has a default HTML renderer installed with their web browser (not the case for .md), and, HTML can do more advanced displays like collapsible sections (i.e. for subprotocols), can embed downloadable files with the data:// URI scheme, and can handle arbitrary formatting complexities like nested tables & images within the cells of said tables (Markdown cannot).

Of course, said HTMLs could have also javascript in them, that could be talking to a backend with user action i.e. checking off checkboxes, and then all bets are off - could have a literally executable protocol in the HTML that also is talking to a LIMS-type thing. That concept probably beyond what I'm proposing here, but an interesting long-term possibility.

[jakebeal]

For a simple start, one might just go with an automated markdown-to-html converter too... https://pypi.org/project/md-to-html/

[rpgoldman]

Another thing one could do is build an HTML back-end by using the original Markdown back end and taking advantage of Markdown's ability to incorporate inline HTML. So one could take the original Markdown back end, extend it with new features using embedded HTML, and then use a Markdown-to-HTML converter as @jakebeal suggests.