Spans

[x]{.y} and []{@badge-count n=3}
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<p><span class="y">x</span> and <badge-count n="3"></badge-count></p>

H[2]{@sub}O and x[2]{@sup} and [HTML]{@abbr title="HyperText"}
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<p>H<sub>2</sub>O and x<sup>2</sup> and <abbr title="HyperText">HTML</abbr></p>

[Ctrl]{@kbd} [a _b_]{@mark} [hi]{@q} [today]{@time datetime=2026-09-27}
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<p><kbd>Ctrl</kbd> <mark>a <em>b</em></mark> <q>hi</q> <time datetime="2026-09-27">today</time></p>

[open]{hidden}
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<p><span hidden>open</span></p>

hello :world at 10:30, localhost:8000 [sic]
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<p>hello :world at 10:30, localhost:8000 [sic]</p>

A span may hold a link, and ![…]{…} is a ! before a span.

[see [docs](/d)]{.a} and ![alt]{.x}
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<p><span class="a">see <a href="/d">docs</a></span> and !<span class="x">alt</span></p>

span isn't a name, and neither is a block element.

x [y]{@span} and [z]{@div}
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<p>x [y]{@span} and [z]{@div}</p>
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[y]{@span}
[z]{@div}

An unclosed bracket is text, and the span after it still opens.

[HTML and [b]{.x}
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<p>[HTML and <span class="x">b</span></p>

A { after a span's ] with no } on its line could only have been meant as attributes.

Press [Ctrl]{@kbd and go.
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<p>Press [Ctrl]{@kbd and go.</p>
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{@kbd and go.