# Getting Started # You can load the Prettify script to highlight code in your web pages. It adds styles to code snippets so that token boundaries stand out and your readers can get the gist of your code without having to mentally perform a left-to-right parse. ## Marking code sections ## The prettyprinter looks for `
`, ``, or `` elements with the _prettyprint_ class:

```
<pre class="prettyprint">
source code here
</pre>
```

and adds `<span>`s to colorize keywords, strings, comments, and other token types.

If you're using Markdown or some other HTML generator that does not add classes, you can alternatively ask the prettifier to target your code by preceding it with a processing instruction thus:

```
<?prettify?>
<pre class="prettyprint">
code here
</pre>
```

[Larger example](http://google-code-prettify.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/examples/quine.html)


## Auto-Loader ##
You can load the JavaScript and CSS for prettify via one URL

```
<script src="https://google-code-prettify.googlecode.com/svn/loader/run_prettify.js"></script>
```

will load the entire system and schedule the prettifier to run on page load.  There are a variety of additional options you can specify (as CGI arguments) to configure the runner.

| **CGI parameter** | default | meaning |
|:------------------|:--------|:--------|
| autoload=(true | false) | true | run automatically on page load |
| lang=... | none | Loads the language handler for the given language which is usually the file extension for source files for that language.  See the [index of language handlers](http://code.google.com/p/google-code-prettify/source/browse/trunk/src).  If specified multiple times (`?lang=css&lang=ml`) then all are loaded. |
| skin=... | none | See the [skin gallery ](http://google-code-prettify.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/styles/index.html).  If specified multiple times, the first one to successfully load is used. |
| callback=js\_ident |  | `window.exports["js_ident"]` will be called when prettyprinting finishes.  If specified multiple times, all are called. |

For example

```
<script src="https://google-code-prettify.googlecode.com/svn/loader/run_prettify.js?lang=css&skin=sunburst"></script>
```

specifies the `lang` parameter to also load the CSS language extension and the `skin` parameter to load the [\*sunburst\*](http://google-code-prettify.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/styles/index.html#sunburst) skin.

## Serving your own JS & CSS ##
You can [download](http://code.google.com/p/google-code-prettify/downloads/list) the scripts and styles and serve them yourself.  Make sure to include both the script and a stylesheet:

```
<link href="prettify.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" />
<script type="text/javascript" src="prettify.js"></script>
```

and then run the `prettyPrint` function once your page has finished loading.  One way to do this is via the `onload` handler thus:

```
<body onload="prettyPrint()">
```

## Styling ##
The prettifier only adds `class`es; it does not specify exact colors or fonts, so you can swap in a different stylesheet to change the way code is prettified.

The easiest way to create your own stylesheet is by starting with one from the [style gallery](http://google-code-prettify.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/styles/index.html) and tweaking it.

You can use CSS `@media` rules to specify styles that work well with printers (for example, dark text on a white background) when someone tries to print it.

## Language Hints ##
Prettify makes a best effort to guess the language but works best with C-like and HTML-like languages.  For others, there are special language handlers that are chosen based on language hints.

```
<pre class="prettyprint lang-scm">(friends 'of '(parentheses))</pre>
```

uses the `lang-scm` hint to specify that the code is Scheme code.

```
<?prettify lang=scm?>
<pre>(friends 'of '(parentheses))</pre>
```

also works.

## Line Numbering ##
The `linenums` class in

```
<pre class="prettyprint linenums">
Many
lines
of
code
</pre>
```

tells the prettyprinter to insert an `<ol>` element and `<li>` elements around each line so that you get line numbers.

Most stylesheets then hide the line numbers except for every fifth line.

The class `linenums:40` makes line numbering start at line 40 if you're excerpting a larger chunk of code, and

```
<?prettify linenums=40?>
<pre>lots of code</pre>
```

also works.