MD052 triggered by selected checkbox in github flavoured markdown

[deosrc]

As per the title, MD052 is being triggered by selected checkboxes in github flavoured markdown:

- [x] Checked item

MD052/reference-links-images Reference links and images should use a label that is defined [Missing link or image reference definition: "x"] [Context: "[x]"]

[deosrc]

Realised this was caused by this configuration I coped from https://github.com/DavidAnson/markdownlint/blob/main/.markdownlint.json

  "reference-links-images": {
    "shortcut_syntax": true
  },

[DavidAnson]

Is there anything to indicate this is supposed to be a checkbox instead of being a missing reference definition as is being reported? Should every instance of [x] be ignored in case it could be a checkbox? For my own future reference, maybe this is only meaningful as the first thing of a list item? https://github.blog/news-insights/product-news/task-lists-in-gfm-issues-pulls-comments/

[DavidAnson]

I think this is a scenario where you should disable the rule (at least for now) - you can use inline comments to do so for just the TODO list.

[DavidAnson]

Realised this was caused by this configuration I coped from ...

Good point! I configure it to be extra picky, so this shouldn't be seen by default. Thanks for calling that out.

[deosrc]

Thanks, yes I've disabled the rule.

A quick test suggests checkboxes only work in lists:

[ ] Not a checkbox
[x] Not a checkbox

- [ ] Checkbox
- [x] Selected checkbox 

---

[ ] Not a checkbox
[x] Not a checkbox

• Checkbox
• Selected checkbox

---

A reference link of [x] would seem unlikely, until a major social media site had a rename.

[DavidAnson]

Haha! FYI, I think you can opt out of the customization from my configuration and keep the rule on but skip the strict shortcut behavior I enabled. (I'm not sure if that was clear.) Thanks for doing that bit of research!