Parsing readme files fails on code blocks starting with `#

[DvanKooten]

When WordPress.org parses readme.txt files for plugins, it will fail whenever a code block is opened and then immediately followed by a #.

_Example_
`
#this-will fail
`

The section will be cut off at the first backtick (which will be visible in the parse result) and parsing will continue as usual in the next section.

This behaviour can easily be replicated using the ​Readme Validator using the attached readme.txt file.

[DvanKooten]

Sample readme.txt

[Otto42]

A hash at the front of a line like that is the markdown syntax for making headers. You cannot put those inside code blocks and expect it to work.

[DvanKooten]

@Otto42 Not even inside code blocks? I mean, it's pretty common to have CSS examples (using ID's) in your plugin FAQ...

[barrykooij]

Replying to DvanKooten:

@Otto42 Not even inside code blocks? I mean, it's pretty common to have CSS examples (using ID's) in your plugin FAQ...

And one could even comment in PHP with #. Not every hashtag means someone is trying to type Markdown.

@Otto42
What is the reason this is instantly closed instead of asking what the intention of the hashtag was?

[Otto42]

The backtick mechanism is not part of markdown, it's one of our specific addons. We use it in lots of places, including our forums.

If you want to use hashes in your code blocks, use the normal markdown way of creating them: prefix them with four spaces on each line.

`
#this won't work
`

#this will work

[Otto42]

In short, backticks are meant for inline code blocks. They kinda work because of our forum-specific addon, but they are not markdown's code blocks. In the normal markdown library, other markdown is ignored inside of 4-space-prefixed code blocks.