December 4, 2025
Math fights, browser peace
Interop and MathML Core
Browsers sync math with MathML Core; EU tax euros cheer, SVG diehards grumble
TLDR: Browsers are aligning on MathML Core so equations look the same everywhere—including right-to-left languages—and Wikipedia is moving to native math. Commenters cheer public funding and XML workflows while SVG loyalists grumble about performance and nostalgia, making this a rare tech win with classic internet drama.
Math on the web is finally getting its glow-up, and the crowd is loud about it. Igalia, backed by the Sovereign Tech Fund (link), is pushing MathML Core so equations look the same no matter your browser. Fans are calling it the end of the "broken formulas across the internet" era—think Wikipedia ditching clunky images for native math. One commenter, Tpt, went full civic pride: “I really like this usage of my taxes euros.” Meanwhile, chriswarbo is flexing nerd cred, hyping MathML’s XML roots: “easy to generate and transform.” Translation: scripts make math, browsers render it, everybody breathes.
But it wouldn’t be the web without a spat. bArray shows up with the SVG vs MathML hot take: “I would still prefer SVG… but it’s a pain,” and accuses the demo page of being laggy. There’s a dash of browser rivalry too—Firefox’s early support gets props while Chrome’s 2013 MathML breakup-then-2023 comeback (thanks to Frédéric Wang) gets side-eye and applause. The RTL (right-to-left) mirroring work—so Arabic math reads correctly—earned respect and meme-worthy "now my integrals face the right way" jokes. In short: browsers finally agree on math, but the comments? Deliciously divided and dramatic.
Key Points
- •MathML Core defines a feasible subset of MathML 3 to enable consistent cross-browser math rendering.
- •Chromium removed legacy MathML in 2013 and shipped a new MathML Core-based implementation in 2023 led by Frédéric Wang.
- •All three major browser engines now have overlapping MathML support, with further alignment ongoing.
- •Work includes RTL mirroring using the Unicode BiDi specification and rtlm font feature to correctly render right-to-left scripts.
- •Wikipedia is transitioning from prerendered SVGs to native MathML, reflecting improved interoperability.