# Extension terminology and rules

**URL:** <https://talk.commonmark.org/t/extension-terminology-and-rules/1233>\
**Category:** Extensions\
**Created:** [June 23, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/extension-terminology-and-rules/1233 "2015-06-23T15:30:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![Crissov](https://cdn.commonmark.org/user_avatar/talk.commonmark.org/crissov/32/1455_2.png) [@Crissov](https://talk.commonmark.org/u/Crissov)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 10:56am UTC](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/extension-terminology-and-rules/1233/2 "2018-10-12T10:56:03Z")

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@jgm Can we get a separate repository under [https://github.com/commonmark/](https://github.com/commonmark/) that shall contain

1. a spec to define these terms and
2. specs for actual extensions (and modules and flavors) with embedded test cases like the main spec?

## Chronological overview of existing meta threads

- [Add "plugin" syntax to the spec](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/add-plugin-syntax-to-the-spec/122) (2014 Sep/Oct)  
wants generic processing instructions added to the base spec
- [Guide for syntax extensions](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/guide-for-syntax-extensions/193) (2014 Sep)  
same gist as this thread in the initial post that was quickly kidnapped in the responses
- [Including Markdown Flavours Features](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/including-markdown-flavours-features/301) (2014 Sep)  
single supportive post
- [Optional syntax](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/optional-syntax/515) (2014 Sep)  
about graceful fallback, coordinated extensions etc.
- [Multiple levels of CommonMark specification?](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/multiple-levels-of-commonmark-specification/541) (2014 Sep through 2016 May)  
proposes overly complex spec levels
- [Extension distributions](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/extension-distributions/750) (2014 Oct)  
introduces _distribution_ for what I called _module_ above: a sensible collection of related and compatible extensions, single post
- [Overview of existing MD extensions (common solutions, incompatibilities, …)](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/overview-of-existing-md-extensions-common-solutions-incompatibilities/1216) (2015 Jun/Jul)  
resulted in wiki entries for [Proposed Extensions](https://github.com/commonmark/CommonMark/wiki/Proposed-Extensions), existing [Flavors](https://github.com/commonmark/CommonMark/wiki/Markdown-Flavors) and [Deployed Extensions](https://github.com/jgm/CommonMark/wiki/Deployed-Extensions)
- [Flexibility and modularity for the win! and also extensions’ ecosystem](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/flexibility-and-modularity-for-the-win-and-also-extensions-ecosystem/1245) (2015 Jun)  
AST transforms etc.
- [Sorely confused about "Extensions"](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/sorely-confused-about-extensions/1872) (2015 Sep through 2016 Mar)  
brief talk about _extension_ (syntax), _module_ (syntax), _addon_ (implementation)
- [Can I Use \_\_ ? Markdown Version (w/ CommonMark)](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/can-i-use----markdown-version-w-commonmark/2055) (2016 Mar)  
announcement for an off-site documentation project
- [Hooks for extensions](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/hooks-for-extensions/2292) (2016 Nov)  
about extending the reference implementations in particular
- [Extension spec as part of the Commonmark spec](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/extension-spec-as-part-of-the-commonmark-spec/2437) (2017 May)  
same gist as this thread, single post
- [A convention for flavor declaration](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/a-convention-for-flavor-declaration/2611) (2017 Oct)  
wants unobtrusive “namespacing”

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