Google Code Prettify vs Showdown: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this Markdown-formatted document, we will compare the key differences between Google Code Prettify and Showdown, two popular tools used in website development. Google Code Prettify is a JavaScript library that allows syntax highlighting of code snippets on webpages, while Showdown is a JavaScript Markdown to HTML converter.

1. Language Support: Google Code Prettify offers support for a wide range of programming languages, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, Java, C++, and many more. On the other hand, Showdown primarily focuses on converting Markdown syntax to HTML, without offering extensive language support for code highlighting.

2. Syntax Highlighting: Google Code Prettify uses a set of predefined syntax highlighters that can be customized to suit specific needs. It provides richer syntax highlighting capabilities, including support for line numbering and different color themes. Showdown, on the other hand, does not provide built-in syntax highlighting features and is mainly focused on converting Markdown syntax to HTML without styling.

3. Integration: Google Code Prettify can be easily integrated into websites using the provided JavaScript and CSS files. It requires minimal configuration to enable syntax highlighting on code blocks. Showdown, on the other hand, needs to be separately integrated and used alongside other JavaScript libraries or frameworks to convert Markdown to HTML. It does not provide direct support for code blocks or syntax highlighting.

4. Browser Compatibility: Google Code Prettify is widely compatible with various modern web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. It is designed to work smoothly across different platforms. Showdown also enjoys good browser compatibility, but its focus on Markdown to HTML conversion makes it less dependent on browser-specific features.

5. Community and Support: Google Code Prettify has a larger and more active community of developers, with regular updates, bug fixes, and additional language support. It is widely used and has extensive documentation available. Showdown, though popular, has a comparatively smaller community and may have fewer updates and less comprehensive resources available.

6. Customization and Flexibility: Google Code Prettify offers more customization options, allowing developers to configure and fine-tune the syntax highlighting behavior according to their requirements. It provides better control over the output appearance of code blocks. Showdown, being primarily a Markdown converter, has limited customization capabilities and is less flexible in terms of code styling.

In summary, Google Code Prettify offers extensive language support, customizable syntax highlighting, seamless integration, wider browser compatibility, a large community, and greater customization options. Showdown, on the other hand, focuses on Markdown to HTML conversion and has a simpler approach with limited language support, no built-in syntax highlighting, and less customization capabilities.