Strict Mode Syntax

ZiraDocs Strict Mode provides a formal and structured syntax for defining presentations. It uses explicit keywords and follows rigorous validation rules, making it 100% predictable for parsers and analysis tools. This mode is ideal when you need maximum precision and control over your presentation structure.

When to Use Strict Mode

✅ Recommended for:

Programmatic generation of presentations
Teams requiring consistent structure
Complex presentations with multiple layouts
Integration with automated workflows
Maximum parser predictability

❌ Consider Flex Mode instead for:

Quick content authoring
Markdown-familiar writers
Simple presentations
Rapid prototyping

Core Concepts

Explicit declarations: Every presentation element is defined with a keyword
Clear hierarchy: Presentation structure is defined through nesting and specific blocks
Strict validation: The ZiraDocs parser verifies compliance with language rules, helping prevent errors
Layout awareness: Built-in support for specialized slide types with validation

Essential Keywords

`SLIDE`

Defines a new slide with optional type or layout specification.

---
mode: strict
title: "My Presentation"
---

SLIDE title
  heading: "Welcome to ZiraDocs"
  subtitle: "Structured presentations made simple"
  logo: "assets/logo.png"

SLIDE content
  title: "Main Content Slide"
  // Content elements go here

Slide Properties:

For title slides:

heading: Main title (alternative to title)
subtitle: Presentation subtitle
logo: Path to image file for logo

For all slides:

title: Slide title

`TEXT`

Defines a paragraph text block with Markdown inline formatting support.

SLIDE content
  title: "Text Example"
  TEXT
    This is a paragraph with **bold text**, *italic text*, and `inline code`.

    You can include [links](https://example.com) and multiple lines.

`POINTS`

Defines a list of bullet points with automatic marker detection and nesting support.

SLIDE content
  title: "List Examples"
  POINTS
    - First point with dash
    - Second point
      - Nested sub-point
      - Another sub-point
    - Third main point

Supported List Types:

Bullet lists:

POINTS
  - Dash bullets
  * Asterisk bullets
  + Plus sign bullets

Numbered lists:

POINTS
  1. First item
  2. Second item
  3. Third item

Alphabetical lists:

POINTS
  a. First option
  b. Second option
  c. Third option

Mixed and nested lists:

POINTS
  1. Main process
     a. Sub-step A
     b. Sub-step B
  2. Second process
     - Important detail
     - Another detail

`CODE`

Defines a code block with optional language specification for syntax highlighting.

SLIDE content
  title: "Code Example"
  CODE python
    def hello_world():
        print("Hello, ZiraDocs Strict!")
        return "success"

Available languages: javascript, python, typescript, go, java, c++, sql, yaml, json, html, css, bash, and more.

`IMAGE`

Inserts an image with optional caption and alt text.

SLIDE content
  title: "Image Example"
  IMAGE "assets/chart.png" "Sales performance chart"
    caption: "Q4 2024 sales results showing 25% growth"

`TABLE`

Creates structured tables with headers and data rows.

SLIDE content
  title: "Data Table"
  TABLE
    headers: ["Product", "Q3", "Q4", "Growth"]
    rows: [
      ["Widget A", "$125K", "$156K", "+25%"],
      ["Widget B", "$89K", "$112K", "+26%"],
      ["Widget C", "$203K", "$234K", "+15%"]
    ]
    caption: "Product performance by quarter"

Advanced Elements

Charts and Visualizations

Create interactive charts using Chart.js integration:

SLIDE content
  title: "Sales Performance"
  <<chart: bar>>
    data: [
      ["Q1", 45, 32, 28],
      ["Q2", 52, 38, 35],
      ["Q3", 61, 45, 42],
      ["Q4", 73, 51, 48]
    ]
    series: ["Product A", "Product B", "Product C"]
    options:
      responsive: true
      plugins:
        title:
          display: true
          text: "Quarterly Sales by Product"

Supported chart types: bar, line, pie, doughnut, combo, radar, scatter

Diagrams with Mermaid

Create technical diagrams using Mermaid syntax:

SLIDE content
  title: "System Architecture"
  <<mermaid>>
    graph TD
        A[User] --> B[Frontend]
        B --> C[API Gateway]
        C --> D[Microservices]
        D --> E[Database]

Interactive Maps

Display maps with markers and geographic data:

SLIDE content
  title: "Global Presence"
  <<map>>
    type: world
    markers:
      - lat: 40.7128
        lng: -74.0060
        label: "New York"
        value: 45
      - lat: 51.5074
        lng: -0.1278
        label: "London"
        value: 38
    zoom: 2

Grid Layout

Arrange content in side-by-side columns with a <<grid>> block. Each <<column>> marker starts a new column; the grid closes with <<end>>. A column’s body is written verbatim (Markdown-style content — headings, lists, prose), and any lines before the first <<column>> become loose prose spanning the whole grid.

SLIDE content
  title: "Two-Column Layout"
  <<grid>>
  <<column>>
  ## Left column
  - point one
  - point two
  <<column>>
  ## Right column
  Prose content on the right.
  <<end>>

This is the strict-mode counterpart of the flex ::: grid / ::: column form — both produce the same grid structure. <<end>> terminates the grid, so any element after it (a TEXT, another block) is parsed independently.

Special Blocks

Create highlighted information blocks for different types of content:

SLIDE content
  title: "Important Information"

  :::info
  💡 **Information**
  This is an informational block for helpful tips.
  :::

  :::warning
  ⚠️ **Warning**
  This is a warning block for important notices.
  :::

  :::danger
  🚨 **Danger**
  This is a critical alert block.
  :::

  :::success
  ✅ **Success**
  This indicates successful completion.
  :::

  :::tip
  💡 **Pro Tip**
  Helpful advice for better workflow.
  :::

Specialized Layouts

ZiraDocs Strict includes built-in support for specialized slide layouts with automatic validation:

`title` - Title Slide Layout

SLIDE title
  heading: "Main Presentation Title"
  subtitle: "Descriptive subtitle"
  logo: "assets/logo.png"

`content` - General Content Layout

SLIDE content
  title: "Standard Content"
  TEXT
    Regular content with mixed elements.
  POINTS
    - First point
    - Second point

`comparison` - Side-by-Side Comparison

SLIDE comparison
  title: "Feature Comparison"
  :::info
    title: "Option A"
    content: "Features and benefits of first option"
  :::success
    title: "Option B"
    content: "Features and benefits of second option"

`stats` - Data and Statistics

SLIDE stats
  title: "Performance Metrics"
  TABLE
    headers: ["Metric", "Q3", "Q4", "Change"]
    rows: [
      ["Revenue", "$1.2M", "$1.8M", "+50%"],
      ["Users", "10K", "15K", "+50%"]
    ]

`code_example` - Technical Documentation

SLIDE code_example
  title: "API Implementation"
  TEXT
    Basic usage example:
  CODE javascript
    const api = new ZiraDocs.API();
    const result = await api.build('presentation.slidelang');

Layout Validation

ZiraDocs automatically validates that slide content matches its declared layout:

comparison slides must have at least 2 comparable elements
stats slides must include data tables, charts, or metrics
code_example slides must contain at least one CODE block
title slides must have heading or title defined

If validation fails, the linter will show specific warnings to help you fix the issues.

Variables and Templating

Use variables defined in your FrontMatter for dynamic content:

---
mode: strict
title: "Product Presentation"
variables:
  product_name: "SuperWidget"
  version: "v2.0"
  release_date: "Q2 2025"
---

SLIDE title
  heading: "Introducing {{product_name}} {{version}}"
  subtitle: "Available {{release_date}}"

SLIDE content
  title: "{{product_name}} Features"
  TEXT
    {{product_name}} includes powerful new capabilities in {{version}}.

Slide Structure Example

Here’s a complete example showing proper slide structure:

---
mode: strict
title: "Complete Presentation Example"
author: "ZiraDocs Team"
variables:
  app_name: "ZiraDocs"
---

SLIDE title
  heading: "Welcome to {{app_name}}"
  subtitle: "Structured presentations made simple"
  logo: "assets/logo.png"

SLIDE content
  title: "Key Features"
  TEXT
    {{app_name}} provides powerful features for creating professional presentations.
  POINTS
    - Explicit syntax for maximum control
    - Built-in validation and error checking
    - Support for complex layouts and elements
    - Interactive charts and diagrams

SLIDE code_example
  title: "Getting Started"
  TEXT
    Create your first slide with this simple syntax:
  CODE slidelang
    SLIDE content
      title: "My First Slide"
      TEXT
        Hello, world!

SLIDE stats
  title: "Usage Statistics"
  TABLE
    headers: ["Feature", "Adoption", "Satisfaction"]
    rows: [
      ["Basic slides", "100%", "95%"],
      ["Advanced layouts", "78%", "92%"],
      ["Interactive elements", "45%", "98%"]
    ]

Best Practices

Use descriptive slide titles - Every slide should have a clear, descriptive title
Choose appropriate layouts - Match your slide layout to your content type
Validate regularly - Run the linter frequently to catch issues early
Structure your content - Use logical hierarchy with headings and bullet points
Leverage variables - Use FrontMatter variables for repeated content
Test your presentations - Verify that advanced elements render correctly

Migration from Flex Mode

If you’re migrating from Flex Mode, here are the key differences:

Flex Mode	Strict Mode	Notes
`# Title`	`SLIDE content title: "Title"`	Explicit slide declaration
`- List item`	`POINTS - List item`	Explicit points block
Text paragraphs	`TEXT` block	Explicit text declaration
```code```	`CODE` block	Explicit code block
`::: grid` / `::: column`	`<<grid>>` / `<<column>>` / `<<end>>`	Delimited grid block (see Grid Layout)

Next Steps

Learn about Flex Mode for rapid content creation
Explore FrontMatter for advanced configuration
Check out Specialized Layouts for layout-specific features
See Advanced Elements for charts, diagrams, and interactive content

For more examples and use cases, see the examples directory in the ZiraDocs repository.