Request to add chemformula package
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Feature Request
- Dominant language
- JavaScript
- Stars
- 10.9k
- Forks
- 1.2k
- PR merge metrics
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Description
The mhchem package is already integrated in MathJax, but I find the chemformula package more versatile and easier to use compared to mhchem.
Here is the CTAN page for chemformula: https://www.ctan.org/pkg/chemformula
Consider the following reaction:

Using mhchem, this can be typeset using:
\ce{Hg^2+ ->[I-]
$\underset{\mathrm{red}}{\ce{HgI2}}$
->[I-]
$\underset{\mathrm{red}}{\ce{[Hg^{II}I4]^2-}}$
}
Using chemformula,
\ch{Hg^2+ ->[ I- ] !(red)( HgI2 ) ->[ I- ] !(red)( [Hg^{II}I4]^2- )}
Which one is shorter and easier?
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Review MathJax's existing mhchem integration and the linked CTAN chemformula documentation first. Determine the integration scope and how chemformula syntax should be supported, then define tests covering the reaction examples and expected rendered output.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- latex
- Domain
- frontend
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100