markout

name	markout
description	Source-generated .NET serializer that renders annotated objects as Markdown. Reach for it when a CLI or tool needs structured, readable output instead of hand-built strings. It looks like System.Text.Json source generation but the rules differ — there is NO reflection fallback, so it needs a generated MarkoutSerializerContext and Markout-specific attributes. Pinned to Markout 0.13.7.

Markout (0.13.7) — source-generated Markdown serializer

Annotate plain C# classes; a source generator renders them to Markdown. Looks like System.Text.Json source-gen but the attributes and rules are Markout's own.

The required pattern (3 parts — all mandatory)

1. [MarkoutSerializable] on the model class (partial not required on the model).
2. [MarkoutContext(typeof(TModel))] on a partial class deriving MarkoutSerializerContext.
3. Serialize through that context: MarkoutSerializer.Serialize(model, Console.Out, MyContext.Default);

There is no Serialize(obj) reflection overload — every overload needs the context. Skipping it does not compile (the #1 mistake).

using Markout;
MarkoutSerializer.Serialize(svc, Console.Out, SvcContext.Default);

[MarkoutSerializable(TitleProperty = nameof(Name))]   // -> the Name value renders as the H1
public partial class Svc { public required string Name { get; init; } public required int Replicas { get; init; } }

[MarkoutContext(typeof(Svc))] public partial class SvcContext : MarkoutSerializerContext { }

Rendering is driven by type, not markup

• Scalar (string/int/bool) -> a | Field | Value | table row.
• [MarkoutSerializable(TitleProperty = nameof(X))] -> the X value is the # H1 (excluded from the table).
• [MarkoutSection(Name = "X")] on a property -> a ## X heading above it.
• List<T> -> a Markdown table.

TreeNode (indented hierarchy) — mind the constructor

TreeNode renders an indented tree. In 0.13.7 the constructors are:

TreeNode(string text, string? badge = null)
TreeNode(string text, string? badge, ReadOnlySpan<TreeNode> children)

Children is the THIRD argument, after badge. The natural new TreeNode("myapp", [child]) does NOT compile — the second positional arg is the badge string, not children. Pass badge (or null) first, then the children collection:

new TreeNode("myapp", null, [
    new TreeNode("Newtonsoft.Json", "pkg"),
    new TreeNode("Serilog", "pkg", [ new TreeNode("Serilog.Sinks.Console") ]),
])

The ctor takes a ReadOnlySpan<TreeNode> (so a [ ... ] collection expression works), while the Children property is List<TreeNode>? — don't confuse the two.