highlightjs/highlight.js

(cpp) Keywords followed by parens are treated as `built_in`

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#3,980 opened on Jan 31, 2024

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Description

Describe the issue Keywords, such as static_assert, sizeof, etc. are typically followed by parentheses. static_assert; will be highlighted as if it's a keyword, but static_assert(true); is highlighted as a built_in.

image

Which language seems to have the issue?

<code class="hljs cpp">
<code class="hljs c++">

Are you using highlight or highlightAuto?

highlight, I think?

Sample Code to Reproduce

In reveal.js, with a freshly-downloaded hljs, add the following:

<pre><code class="hljs c++" data-trim data-noescape data-line-numbers style="overflow: visible;">
  static_assert; // highlighted as keyword
  static_assert(true); // highlighted as built_in
</code></pre>

Expected behavior

Keywords continue to use their keyword colour when followed by parens.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
cppjavascript
Domain
toolingdeveloper experience
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Regex basicsHighlight.js language definition structure
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70
Research direction
The bug is in the C++ language definition file (likely src/languages/cpp.js). The keyword pattern for `static assert` and similar keywords should not match when followed by parentheses. Look at how other keywords like `if` are handled—they likely use a negative lookahead to avoid matching function calls. The fix involves adjusting the regex to exclude parentheses after the keyword.
(cpp) Keywords followed by parens are treated as `built_in` · highlightjs/highlight.js#3980 | Good First Issue