The study notes must render correctly in three contexts: Markdown viewers, PDF conversion, and plain text reading. Follow these rules to ensure compatibility.
Headings
Use ATX-style headings (#, ##, ###). Maximum depth: 4 levels.
Always leave a blank line before and after headings.
## Lecture 1: Introduction
### 1.1 What is an Operating System?
Use LaTeX wrapped in $...$ (inline) or $$...$$ (display block).
For PDF conversion compatibility, avoid overly complex LaTeX that requires special packages. Stick to standard math notation.
The time complexity is $O(n \log n)$.
$
P(A|B) = \frac{P(B|A) \cdot P(A)}{P(B)}
$
For plain text fallback: after each formula block, optionally include a plain-language description:
$E = mc^2$
(Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared)
Code blocks
Always specify the language for syntax highlighting:
```python
def binary_search(arr, target):
lo, hi = 0, len(arr) - 1
while lo <= hi:
mid = (lo + hi) // 2
if arr[mid] == target:
return mid
elif arr[mid] < target:
lo = mid + 1
else:
hi = mid - 1
return -1
```
For long code blocks (>30 lines), add a brief comment header explaining what the code does.
Tables
Use standard Markdown tables. Keep columns reasonably narrow for PDF rendering.
| Algorithm | Time (avg) | Time (worst) | Space | Stable? |
|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------|---------|
| Quicksort | O(n log n) | O(n^2) | O(log n) | No |
| Mergesort | O(n log n) | O(n log n) | O(n) | Yes |
For tables wider than 5 columns, consider splitting into multiple tables or using a description list format instead.
Since we're targeting text-based formats, represent diagrams as:
- ASCII art for simple structures (trees, linked lists):
[Root]
/ \
[Left] [Right]
- Mermaid code blocks for complex flows (supported by many Markdown renderers):
graph TD
A[Client] --> B[Load Balancer]
B --> C[Server 1]
B --> D[Server 2]
- Textual description as fallback: "Figure: A directed graph with nodes A, B, C where A points to B and C, and B points to C. This represents..."
Always provide the textual description even when including Mermaid/ASCII art — it ensures plain text readability.
Cross-references
Use relative section references, not Markdown-specific link anchors:
Good: "See Section 3.2 (Lecture 3, Process Scheduling) for details."
Avoid: "See here." (anchor links may break in PDF)
Emphasis
Use bold for key terms on first definition. Use italic for emphasis.
Do NOT use bold for entire paragraphs or sentences — it loses its signal value.
Page breaks (PDF-aware)
When the content logically separates (e.g., between lectures), insert a horizontal rule:
---
This renders as a visual break in Markdown and can be mapped to a page break in PDF conversion.
Document structure template
# [Course Name] — Study Notes
> Generated from [N] lecture PDFs + external knowledge expansion.
> Last updated: [date]
> Source lectures: [list of PDF filenames]
## Table of Contents
[Auto-generated or manually maintained TOC]
---
## Lecture 1: [Title]
### 1.1 [Topic] (pp. X-Y)
[Content following the concept block template from phase-study.md]
### 1.2 [Topic] (pp. Y-Z)
[...]
> **Bridge:** [Transition note to next lecture]
---
## Lecture 2: [Title]
[...]
---
## Appendix A: Concept Index
[Alphabetical list of all concepts with lecture + page references]
## Appendix B: External Sources
[All URLs, paper citations, and documentation references used in expansion]
## Appendix C: [EXPAND] Resolution Log
[List of all [EXPAND] markers from Phase 1 and how each was resolved]
Markdown (.md)
Primary output format. No special handling needed if the rules above are followed.
PDF conversion
When converting to PDF, read rules/pdf-export.md for font configuration, pandoc commands, and CJK/bilingual document handling. Use the /pdf skill to execute the conversion — do not use Python or pandoc directly.
Plain text readability
The document must be readable with all Markdown stripped:
- Headings are recognizable by their
# prefixes
- Formulas have plain-language descriptions nearby
- Code is in fenced blocks
- No meaning carried solely by formatting — don't use bold as the only signal for key terms; also use "Key term: …" phrasing