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Hyphenate.dev: illustration of TeX's hyphenation algorithm

Hyphenate.dev: illustration of TeX's hyphenation algorithm

by returningfory2·Jun 10, 2026·3 points·1 comment

AI Analysis

●●SolidNiche GemCozy

Modular TeX re-implementation visualizes Knuth's hyphenation algorithm step-by-step.

Strengths
  • Modular Texcraft architecture enables algorithm reuse across different contexts
  • Visual illustration makes Knuth's opaque hyphenation logic accessible and understandable
  • Clean, focused execution without feature creep or unnecessary complexity
Weaknesses
  • Very niche audience limited to typography nerds and TeX implementers
  • Single-page utility with limited depth beyond the core visualization
Category
Target Audience

Typography enthusiasts, TeX implementers, computer science educators

Post Description

As part of the Texcraft project I've been re-implementing Donald Knuth's TeX in a modular way. One of the goals of Texcraft is to be able to use these modular pieces in different contexts. hyphenate.dev is a website that uses my re-implementation of TeX's hyphenation algorithm to visually illustrate how the algorithm chooses hyphens.

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