The Digital Press

This 2014 guide explores the various approaches to syntax highlighting in code editors, focusing primarily on Emacs and its rich ecosystem of modes and extensions. It covers everything from basic lexical highlighting to advanced introspective techniques that leverage runtime information.

Why it matters: Syntax highlighting improves code readability, helps spot errors, and enhances developer productivity across many programming languages.

The big picture: Highlighting methods range from simple color-coding of keywords to complex semantic and contextual highlighting using full parsers and runtime introspection.

The stakes: Overloading highlighting with too many colors or modes can reduce clarity, making it harder to focus and increasing visual noise.

Commenters say: Readers appreciate the detailed breakdown of Emacs-specific tools and call for more modern updates reflecting current editor innovations and broader language support.