Scientific Documents

PaperForge 1.4 adds a native Math AST and a scientific authoring layer. Math is measured with layout blocks and rendered as PDF text and vector lines, so it does not depend on TeX, MathJax, a browser, or raster images.

Math AST

alias PaperForge.{Flow, Math}

equation =
  Math.row([
    Math.integral(Math.symbol("0"), Math.symbol("1"),
      Math.superscript(Math.symbol("x"), Math.symbol("2")), "x"),
    Math.symbol("="),
    Math.fraction(Math.symbol("1"), Math.symbol("3"))
  ])

flow = Flow.new() |> Flow.math(equation, size: 18)

The AST supports symbols, rows, fractions, roots with optional indices, matrices, superscripts, subscripts, and integrals with bounds. It is also available in .paperforge through a math block and JSON Math AST.

Numbering And References

PaperForge.Scientific maintains stable equation and citation counters around a normal PaperForge.Flow. Equation destinations participate in the existing multi-pass page-reference engine.

scientific =
  PaperForge.Scientific.new()
  |> PaperForge.Scientific.equation(equation)
  |> PaperForge.Scientific.equation_reference(1)

{scientific, citation} =
  PaperForge.Scientific.cite(scientific, "paperforge-2026",
    author: "PaperForge Contributors",
    title: "Declarative PDF Authoring",
    year: 2026)

flow = scientific |> PaperForge.Scientific.bibliography() |> PaperForge.Scientific.to_flow()

Use the established Flow.footnote/3, Flow.endnotes/2, Flow.table_of_contents/2, charts, SVG, and page-aware references alongside the scientific builder. This provides numbered equations, bibliography sections, figures, tables, notes, diagrams, and advanced navigation in one layout pipeline.

The current Math AST is an authoring representation, not a TeX or MathML parser. Advanced typographic stretching, OpenType MATH tables, and automatic line breaking inside long equations remain future enhancements.