pandoc-pdf-generation_skill

Overview

This skill generates professional PDFs from Markdown using Pandoc with the XeLaTeX engine. It automates section numbering, table of contents, bibliography detection, page breaks, and applies a production-proven LaTeX preamble for reliable output. The skill includes a universal build script and helpers for landscape/portrait output and hiding HTML details blocks from printed PDFs.

How this skill works

A build script auto-detects a single Markdown input, finds references.bib and CSL files, and runs pandoc with xelatex using a tuned LaTeX preamble. Options control orientation, monospace fonts for ASCII diagrams, and stripping of <details> blocks via a Lua filter. Pre-flight checks confirm pandoc/xelatex are present and post-build validation checks file size and page count.

When to use it

• Convert technical Markdown documents into print-ready PDFs with consistent styling
• Produce documents that require automatic section numbering and an accurate table of contents
• Manage citations and bibliographies without duplicate manual edits
• Generate landscape output for wide tables, diagrams, or comparison matrices
• Automate PDF production in CI/CD or developer workflows before printing

Best practices

• Keep section headings unnumbered in Markdown and use --number-sections to auto-number
• Generate ASCII diagrams with the graph-easy skill instead of hand-typing box art
• Place annotations outside code blocks; inline comments inside code blocks break layout
• Use the supplied LaTeX preamble file for table spacing and ToC fixes to avoid table breaks
• Always preview the generated PDF and confirm orientation and duplex settings before printing

Example use cases

• Produce an ADR or architecture document with numbered sections, TOC, and embedded diagrams
• Create landscape PDFs for large tables and technical handouts for distribution
• Build automated documentation artifacts in CI that include bibliography rendering
• Strip implementation-only <!-- details --> blocks from printed material while keeping them online
• Quickly generate a printable report from a single Markdown file with a single script