Common Configurations

MathJax comes with a number of pre-defined configuration files in the MathJax/config directory. The default.js file contains nearly all the possible configuration options together with comments explaining them, so you can use that file to customize MathJax to your needs. Simply load it via

<script type="text/javascript" src="path-to-MathJax/MathJax.js?config=default"></script>

where path-to-MathJax is the URL to the MathJax directory on your server or hard disk.

The remaining files are combined configuration files that include not just configuration parameters but also the files that MathJax would need to load for those configurations. This means MathJax will have to load fewer files, and since each file access requires establishing connections over the network, it can be better to load one larger file than several smaller ones. See Loading and Configuring MathJax for more details about how to load configurations, and how to modify the parameters for a configuration file.

The following sections describe the contents of the combined configuration files. Each comes in two flavors: a standard version and a “full” version. The standard version simply defines the output processor(s) that are part of the configuration, but doesn’t load the code that implements the output processor; the full version loads the complete output processors, so everything that MathJax needs for the page should be loaded up front, and there will be no delay once the page is ready to be processed. To obtain the “full” version, add -full to the end of the configuration file name.

The TeX-AMS-MML_HTMLorMML configuration file

This configuration file is the most general of the pre-defined configurations. It loads all the important MathJax components, including the TeX and MathML preprocessors and input processors, the AMSmath, AMSsymbols, noErrors, and noUndefined TeX extensions, both the native MathML and HTML-with-CSS output processor definitions, and the MathMenu and MathZoom extensions. It is equivalent to the following configuration:

MathJax.Hub.Config({
  config: ["MMLorHTML.js"],
  jax: ["input/TeX","input/MathML","output/HTML-CSS","output/NativeMML"],
  extensions: ["tex2jax.js","mml2jax.js","MathMenu.js","MathZoom.js"],
  TeX: {
    extensions: ["AMSmath.js","AMSsymbols.js","noErrors.js","noUndefined.js"]
  }
});

In addition, it loads the mml Element Jax, the TeX and MathML input jax main code (not just the definition files), as well as the toMathML extension, which is used by the Show Source option in the MathJax contextual menu. The full version also loads both the HTML-CSS and NativeMML output jax main code, plus the HTML-CSS mtable extension, which is normally loaded on demand.

See the tex2jax configuration section for other configuration options for the tex2jax preprocessor, and the TeX input jax configuration section for options that control the TeX input processor. See the mml2jax configuration section for other configuration options for the mml2jax preprocessor, and the MathML input jax configuration section for options that control the MathML input processor. See MathJax Output Formats for more information on the NativeMML and HTML-CSS output processors. See the MMLorHTML configuration section for details on the options that control the MMLorHTML configuration.

The TeX-AMS_HTML configuration file

This configuration file is for sites that only use TeX format for their mathematics, and that want the output to be as close to TeX output as possible. This uses the HTML-CSS output jax (even when the user’s browser understands MathML). The user can still use the MathJax contextual menu to select the NativeMML output jax if they desire.

This file includes all the important MathJax components for TeX input and output, including the tex2jax preprocessor and TeX input jax, the AMSmath, AMSsymbols, noErrors, and noUndefined TeX extensions, the HTML-with-CSS output processor definition, and the MathMenu and MathZoom extensions. It is equivalent to the following configuration:

MathJax.Hub.Config({
  jax: ["input/TeX","output/HTML-CSS"],
  extensions: ["tex2jax.js","MathMenu.js","MathZoom.js"],
  TeX: {
    extensions: ["AMSmath.js","AMSsymbols.js","noErrors.js","noUndefined.js"]
  }
});

In addition, it loads the mml Element Jax and the TeX input jax main code (not just the definition file), as well as the toMathML extension, which is used by the Show Source option in the MathJax contextual menu. The full version also loads the HTML-CSS output jax main code, plus the HTML-CSS mtable extension, which is normally loaded on demand.

See the tex2jax configuration section for other configuration options for the tex2jax preprocessor, and the TeX input jax configuration section for options that control the TeX input processor. See MathJax Output Formats for more information on the HTML-CSS output processor.

The MML_HTMLorMML configuration file

This configuration file is for sites that only use MathML format for their mathematics. It will use MathML output in browsers where that is supported, and HTML-CSS output otherwise. The user can still use the MathJax contextual menu to select the other output format if they desire.

This file includes all the important MathJax components for MathML input and output, including the mml2jax preprocessor and MathML input jax, the NativeMML and HTML-CSS output processor definition files, and the MathMenu and MathZoom extensions. It is equivalent to the following configuration:

MathJax.Hub.Config({
  config: ["MMLorHTML.js"],
  jax: ["input/MathML","output/HTML-CSS","output/NativeMML"],
  extensions: ["mml2jax.js","MathMenu.js","MathZoom.js"]
});

In addition, it loads the mml Element Jax and the MathML input jax main code (not just the definition file), as well as the toMathML extension, which is used by the Show Source option in the MathJax contextual menu. The full version also loads both the HTML-CSS and NativeMML output jax main code files, plus the HTML-CSS mtable extension, which is normally loaded on demand.

See the mml2jax configuration section for other configuration options for the mml2jax preprocessor, and the MathML input jax configuration section for options that control the MathML input processor. See MathJax Output Formats for more information on the NativeMML and HTML-CSS output processors. See the MMLorHTML configuration section for details on the options that control the MMLorHTML configuration.

The Accessible configuration file

This configuration file is essentially the same as TeX-AMS-MML_HTMLorMML except that it includes options that are designed for assistive technology, particularly for those with visual challenges. It is equivalent to the following configuration:

MathJax.Hub.Config({
  config: ["MMLorHTML.js"],
  jax: ["input/TeX","input/MathML","output/HTML-CSS","output/NativeMML"],
  extensions: ["tex2jax.js","mml2jax.js","MathMenu.js","MathZoom.js"],
  TeX: {
    extensions: ["AMSmath.js","AMSsymbols.js","noErrors.js","noUndefined.js"]
  },
  NativeMML: { showMathMenuMSIE: false },
  menuSettings: { zoom: "Double-Click" },
  errorSettings: { message: ["[Math Error]"] }
});

This turns off the MathJax contextual menu for Internet Explorer, since it can interfere with some screen readers. It also sets the zoom trigger to double-click, so that readers can see a larger version of the mathematics but double-clicking on any equation.

In addition, it loads the mml Element Jax, the TeX and MathML input jax main code (not just the definition files), as well as the toMathML extension, which is used by the Show Source option in the MathJax contextual menu. The full version also loads both the HTML-CSS and NativeMML output jax main code, plus the HTML-CSS mtable extension, which is normally loaded on demand.