---
layout: default
title: Code with line numbers
parent: Code
grand_parent: UI Components
permalink: /docs/ui-components/code/line-numbers/
---

# Code snippets with line numbers

The default settings for HTML compression are incompatible with the HTML
produced by Jekyll (4.1.1 or earlier) for line numbers from highlighted code
-- both when using Kramdown code fences and when using Liquid highlight tags.

To avoid non-conforming HTML and unsatisfactory layout, HTML compression
can be turned off by using the following configuration option:

{% highlight yaml %}
compress_html:
  ignore:
    envs: all
{% endhighlight %}

When using Kramdown code fences, line numbers are turned on globally by the
following configuration option:

{% highlight yaml %}
kramdown:
  syntax_highlighter_opts:
    block:
      line_numbers: true
{% endhighlight %}

Line numbers can then be suppressed locally using Liquid tags (_without_ the
`linenos` option) instead of fences:

{% highlight yaml %}
{% raw %}{% highlight some_language %}
Some code
{% endhighlight %}{% endraw %}
{% endhighlight %}

## Workarounds

To use HTML compression together with line numbers, all highlighted code
needs to be wrapped using one of the following workarounds.
(The variable name `some_var` can be changed to avoid clashes; it can also
be replaced by `code` -- but note that `code=code` cannot be removed).

### Code fences (three backticks)

{% highlight default %}
{% raw %}{% capture some_var %}
```some_language
Some code
```
{% endcapture %}
{% assign some_var = some_var | markdownify %}
{% include fix_linenos.html code=some_var %}{% endraw %}
{% endhighlight %}

### Liquid highlighting

{% highlight default %}
{% raw %}{% capture some_var %}
{% highlight some_language linenos %}
Some code
{% endhighlight %}
{% endcapture %}
{% include fix_linenos.html code=some_var %}{% endraw %}
{% endhighlight %}

_Credit:_ The original version of the above workaround was suggested by
Dmitry Hrabrov at
<https://github.com/penibelst/jekyll-compress-html/issues/71#issuecomment-188144901>.

## Examples

✅ Using code fences + workaround (will only show line numbers if enabled globally in `_config.yml`):

{% capture code_fence %}
```js
// Javascript code with syntax highlighting in fences
var fun = function lang(l) {
  dateformat.i18n = require('./lang/' + l)
  return true;
}
```
{% endcapture %}
{% assign code_fence = code_fence | markdownify %}
{% include fix_linenos.html code=code_fence %}

✅ Using liquid highlighting + workaround:

{% capture code %}
{% highlight ruby linenos %}
# Ruby code with syntax highlighting and fixed line numbers using Liquid
GitHubPages::Dependencies.gems.each do |gem, version|
  s.add_dependency(gem, "= #{version}")
end
{% endhighlight %}
{% endcapture %}
{% include fix_linenos.html code=code %}
{% assign code = nil %}

❌ With the default configuration options, the following example illustrates
the **incorrect** formatting arising from the incompatibility of HTML compression
and the non-conforming HTML produced by Jekyll for line numbers:

{% highlight ruby linenos %}
# Ruby code with syntax highlighting and unfixed line numbers using Liquid
GitHubPages::Dependencies.gems.each do |gem, version|
  s.add_dependency(gem, "= #{version}")
end
{% endhighlight %}