Introduction

Org mode provides excellent support for syntax highlighting across numerous programming languages. This post demonstrates how different languages appear when embedded in Org documents using source code blocks. Each example shows both the practical code and how Org mode beautifully renders the syntax.

Python: Data Processing Made Simple   python data

Python's clean syntax makes it perfect for data manipulation and analysis:

import pandas as pd
import numpy as np

def analyze_sales_data(filename):
    """Analyze sales data and return key metrics."""
    df = pd.read_csv(filename)

    # Calculate monthly totals
    monthly_sales = df.groupby('month')['sales'].sum()

    # Find top performing products
    top_products = df.groupby('product')['sales'].sum().sort_values(ascending=False).head(5)

    return {
        'total_revenue': df['sales'].sum(),
        'average_monthly': monthly_sales.mean(),
        'top_products': top_products.to_dict()
    }

# Usage example
results = analyze_sales_data('sales_2024.csv')
print(f"Total revenue: ${results['total_revenue']:,.2f}")

JavaScript: Modern Web Development   javascript web frontend

JavaScript showcases modern ES6+ features and asynchronous programming:

// Fetch and process user data with modern async/await
class UserManager {
    constructor(apiUrl) {
        this.apiUrl = apiUrl;
        this.cache = new Map();
    }

    async fetchUser(userId) {
        if (this.cache.has(userId)) {
            return this.cache.get(userId);
        }

        try {
            const response = await fetch(`${this.apiUrl}/users/${userId}`);
            if (!response.ok) {
                throw new Error(`HTTP error! status: ${response.status}`);
            }

            const user = await response.json();
            this.cache.set(userId, user);
            return user;
        } catch (error) {
            console.error('Failed to fetch user:', error);
            return null;
        }
    }

    // Arrow function with destructuring
    formatUserDisplay = ({ name, email, role = 'user' }) => {
        return `${name} (${email}) - ${role.toUpperCase()}`;
    };
}

// Usage with template literals
const userManager = new UserManager('https://api.example.com');
const user = await userManager.fetchUser(123);
console.log(`Welcome: ${userManager.formatUserDisplay(user)}`);

Rust: Systems Programming with Safety   rust systems memory

Rust demonstrates memory safety and performance with its unique ownership system:

use std::collections::HashMap;
use std::fs::File;
use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Result};

#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
struct LogEntry {
    timestamp: String,
    level: String,
    message: String,
}

impl LogEntry {
    fn new(line: &str) -> Option<Self> {
        let parts: Vec<&str> = line.splitn(3, ' ').collect();
        if parts.len() == 3 {
            Some(LogEntry {
                timestamp: parts[0].to_string(),
                level: parts[1].to_string(),
                message: parts[2].to_string(),
            })
        } else {
            None
        }
    }
}

fn analyze_log_file(filename: &str) -> Result<HashMap<String, usize>> {
    let file = File::open(filename)?;
    let reader = BufReader::new(file);
    let mut level_counts = HashMap::new();

    for line in reader.lines() {
        let line = line?;
        if let Some(entry) = LogEntry::new(&line) {
            *level_counts.entry(entry.level).or_insert(0) += 1;
        }
    }

    Ok(level_counts)
}

fn main() -> Result<()> {
    match analyze_log_file("app.log") {
        Ok(counts) => {
            println!("Log level distribution:");
            for (level, count) in &counts {
                println!("  {}: {}", level, count);
            }
        }
        Err(e) => eprintln!("Error reading log file: {}", e),
    }
    Ok(())
}

Go: Concurrent Network Programming   golang concurrency networking

Go excels at concurrent programming with goroutines and channels:

package main

import (
    "context"
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "sync"
    "time"
)

type HealthChecker struct {
    urls     []string
    timeout  time.Duration
    client   *http.Client
}

type HealthResult struct {
    URL      string
    Status   string
    Duration time.Duration
    Error    error
}

func NewHealthChecker(urls []string, timeout time.Duration) *HealthChecker {
    return &HealthChecker{
        urls:    urls,
        timeout: timeout,
        client: &http.Client{
            Timeout: timeout,
        },
    }
}

func (hc *HealthChecker) checkURL(ctx context.Context, url string) HealthResult {
    start := time.Now()

    req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, "GET", url, nil)
    if err != nil {
        return HealthResult{URL: url, Status: "ERROR", Error: err, Duration: time.Since(start)}
    }

    resp, err := hc.client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        return HealthResult{URL: url, Status: "DOWN", Error: err, Duration: time.Since(start)}
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    status := "UP"
    if resp.StatusCode >= 400 {
        status = "DOWN"
    }

    return HealthResult{
        URL:      url,
        Status:   status,
        Duration: time.Since(start),
    }
}

func (hc *HealthChecker) CheckAll(ctx context.Context) []HealthResult {
    results := make([]HealthResult, len(hc.urls))
    var wg sync.WaitGroup

    for i, url := range hc.urls {
        wg.Add(1)
        go func(index int, u string) {
            defer wg.Done()
            results[index] = hc.checkURL(ctx, u)
        }(i, url)
    }

    wg.Wait()
    return results
}

func main() {
    urls := []string{
        "https://google.com",
        "https://github.com",
        "https://stackoverflow.com",
    }

    checker := NewHealthChecker(urls, 5*time.Second)
    ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
    defer cancel()

    results := checker.CheckAll(ctx)

    fmt.Println("Health Check Results:")
    for _, result := range results {
        fmt.Printf("%-25s %-6s %v\n", result.URL, result.Status, result.Duration)
        if result.Error != nil {
            fmt.Printf("  Error: %v\n", result.Error)
        }
    }
}

SQL: Database Queries and Analytics   sql database analytics

SQL demonstrates complex data querying and analysis capabilities:

-- Complex analytics query showcasing various SQL features
WITH monthly_metrics AS (
    SELECT
        DATE_TRUNC('month', order_date) as month,
        customer_id,
        COUNT(*) as order_count,
        SUM(total_amount) as monthly_spend,
        AVG(total_amount) as avg_order_value
    FROM orders
    WHERE order_date >= CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '12 months'
    GROUP BY DATE_TRUNC('month', order_date), customer_id
),

customer_segments AS (
    SELECT
        customer_id,
        CASE
            WHEN SUM(monthly_spend) >= 5000 THEN 'VIP'
            WHEN SUM(monthly_spend) >= 1000 THEN 'Premium'
            WHEN SUM(monthly_spend) >= 500 THEN 'Regular'
            ELSE 'Basic'
        END as segment,
        COUNT(DISTINCT month) as active_months,
        SUM(monthly_spend) as total_spend,
        AVG(avg_order_value) as lifetime_avg_order
    FROM monthly_metrics
    GROUP BY customer_id
)

SELECT
    cs.segment,
    COUNT(*) as customer_count,
    ROUND(AVG(cs.total_spend), 2) as avg_annual_spend,
    ROUND(AVG(cs.lifetime_avg_order), 2) as avg_order_value,
    ROUND(AVG(cs.active_months), 1) as avg_active_months,
    -- Calculate retention rate
    ROUND(
        COUNT(CASE WHEN cs.active_months >= 6 THEN 1 END) * 100.0 / COUNT(*),
        1
    ) as retention_rate_6m
FROM customer_segments cs
JOIN customers c ON cs.customer_id = c.id
GROUP BY cs.segment
ORDER BY avg_annual_spend DESC;

-- Create an index for performance
CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY idx_orders_customer_date
ON orders (customer_id, order_date DESC)
WHERE order_date >= CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '12 months';

HTML/CSS: Modern Web Styling   html css web responsive

HTML and CSS showcase modern web development with responsive design:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Modern Card Component</title>
    <style>
        :root {
            --primary-color: #6366f1;
            --secondary-color: #8b5cf6;
            --text-dark: #1f2937;
            --text-light: #6b7280;
            --border-radius: 12px;
            --shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
        }

        .card-container {
            display: grid;
            grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(300px, 1fr));
            gap: 2rem;
            padding: 2rem;
            font-family: 'Inter', system-ui, sans-serif;
        }

        .card {
            background: linear-gradient(135deg, white 0%, #f8fafc 100%);
            border-radius: var(--border-radius);
            box-shadow: var(--shadow);
            overflow: hidden;
            transition: transform 0.3s ease, box-shadow 0.3s ease;
            position: relative;
        }

        .card:hover {
            transform: translateY(-8px);
            box-shadow: 0 20px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
        }

        .card::before {
            content: '';
            position: absolute;
            top: 0;
            left: 0;
            right: 0;
            height: 4px;
            background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--primary-color), var(--secondary-color));
        }

        .card-content {
            padding: 1.5rem;
        }

        .card-title {
            font-size: 1.25rem;
            font-weight: 600;
            color: var(--text-dark);
            margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
        }

        .card-description {
            color: var(--text-light);
            line-height: 1.6;
            margin-bottom: 1rem;
        }

        .card-actions {
            display: flex;
            gap: 0.75rem;
        }

        .btn {
            padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
            border-radius: 6px;
            font-weight: 500;
            text-decoration: none;
            transition: all 0.2s ease;
            cursor: pointer;
        }

        .btn-primary {
            background: var(--primary-color);
            color: white;
        }

        .btn-primary:hover {
            background: #4f46e5;
            transform: translateY(-1px);
        }

        @media (max-width: 768px) {
            .card-container {
                grid-template-columns: 1fr;
                padding: 1rem;
            }
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="card-container">
        <article class="card">
            <div class="card-content">
                <h2 class="card-title">Modern Web Development</h2>
                <p class="card-description">
                    Explore the latest trends in web development with modern CSS Grid,
                    Flexbox, and responsive design principles.
                </p>
                <div class="card-actions">
                    <a href="#" class="btn btn-primary">Learn More</a>
                </div>
            </div>
        </article>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Shell Scripting: System Administration   bash shell sysadmin automation

Bash scripting for system administration and automation:

#!/bin/bash

# Advanced backup script with logging and error handling
set -euo pipefail  # Exit on error, undefined vars, pipe failures

# Configuration
readonly SCRIPT_NAME="${0##*/}"
readonly BACKUP_DIR="/backup"
readonly LOG_FILE="/var/log/backup.log"
readonly MAX_BACKUPS=7
readonly TIMESTAMP=$(date +"%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")

# Color codes for output
readonly RED='\033[0;31m'
readonly GREEN='\033[0;32m'
readonly YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
readonly NC='\033[0m' # No Color

# Logging function
log() {
    local level="$1"
    shift
    local message="$*"
    local timestamp=$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')

    echo -e "${timestamp} [${level}] ${message}" | tee -a "${LOG_FILE}"
}

log_info() { log "INFO" "$@"; }
log_warn() { log "WARN" "$@"; }
log_error() { log "ERROR" "$@"; }

# Error handling
cleanup() {
    local exit_code=$?
    if [[ $exit_code -ne 0 ]]; then
        log_error "Script failed with exit code $exit_code"
    fi
    exit $exit_code
}

trap cleanup EXIT

# Check if running as root
check_root() {
    if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
        log_error "This script must be run as root"
        exit 1
    fi
}

# Create backup directory structure
setup_backup_dir() {
    local backup_path="${BACKUP_DIR}/${TIMESTAMP}"

    if ! mkdir -p "$backup_path"; then
        log_error "Failed to create backup directory: $backup_path"
        return 1
    fi

    echo "$backup_path"
}

# Database backup function
backup_database() {
    local db_name="$1"
    local backup_path="$2"
    local db_file="${backup_path}/${db_name}_${TIMESTAMP}.sql"

    log_info "Starting database backup for: $db_name"

    if command -v mysqldump >/dev/null 2>&1; then
        if mysqldump --single-transaction --routines --triggers \
           --user="${DB_USER:-root}" --password="${DB_PASS}" \
           "$db_name" > "$db_file"; then
            log_info "Database backup completed: $db_file"
            gzip "$db_file"
            return 0
        else
            log_error "Database backup failed for: $db_name"
            return 1
        fi
    else
        log_warn "mysqldump not found, skipping database backup"
        return 1
    fi
}

# File system backup
backup_files() {
    local source_dir="$1"
    local backup_path="$2"
    local archive_name="${backup_path}/files_${TIMESTAMP}.tar.gz"

    log_info "Starting file backup from: $source_dir"

    # Exclude common unnecessary files
    local exclude_patterns=(
        "*.log"
        "*.tmp"
        "*cache*"
        "node_modules"
        ".git"
    )

    local tar_excludes=""
    for pattern in "${exclude_patterns[@]}"; do
        tar_excludes+="--exclude=${pattern} "
    done

    if tar czf "$archive_name" $tar_excludes -C "$(dirname "$source_dir")" \
       "$(basename "$source_dir")"; then
        log_info "File backup completed: $archive_name"
        return 0
    else
        log_error "File backup failed for: $source_dir"
        return 1
    fi
}

# Cleanup old backups
cleanup_old_backups() {
    log_info "Cleaning up old backups (keeping $MAX_BACKUPS)"

    # Find and remove old backup directories
    find "$BACKUP_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type d -name "[0-9]*_[0-9]*" \
         -printf '%T@ %p\n' | sort -nr | tail -n +$((MAX_BACKUPS + 1)) | \
         cut -d' ' -f2- | while read -r old_backup; do
        log_info "Removing old backup: $old_backup"
        rm -rf "$old_backup"
    done
}

# Main backup function
main() {
    log_info "Starting backup process"

    check_root

    local backup_path
    backup_path=$(setup_backup_dir)

    # Backup databases
    while IFS= read -r database; do
        [[ -n "$database" ]] && backup_database "$database" "$backup_path"
    done <<< "${DATABASES:-}"

    # Backup file systems
    local directories=("/etc" "/home" "/var/www")
    for dir in "${directories[@]}"; do
        [[ -d "$dir" ]] && backup_files "$dir" "$backup_path"
    done

    cleanup_old_backups

    log_info "Backup process completed successfully"
    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Backup completed: $backup_path${NC}"
}

# Script usage
usage() {
    cat << EOF
Usage: $SCRIPT_NAME [OPTIONS]

A comprehensive backup script for databases and file systems.

OPTIONS:
    -h, --help      Show this help message
    -d, --database  Database name to backup
    -v, --verbose   Enable verbose output

EXAMPLES:
    $SCRIPT_NAME
    $SCRIPT_NAME -d myapp_production

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES:
    DB_USER         Database username (default: root)
    DB_PASS         Database password
    DATABASES       Newline-separated list of databases to backup

EOF
}

# Parse command line arguments
while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
    case $1 in
        -h|--help)
            usage
            exit 0
            ;;
        -d|--database)
            DATABASES="${DATABASES:-}${2}\n"
            shift 2
            ;;
        -v|--verbose)
            set -x
            shift
            ;;
        *)
            log_error "Unknown option: $1"
            usage
            exit 1
            ;;
    esac
done

# Run main function
main "$@"

Conclusion   summary

Org mode's syntax highlighting capabilities make it an excellent choice for technical documentation, blog posts, and educational materials. The examples above demonstrate how different programming languages are beautifully rendered with appropriate color coding and formatting.

Key benefits of using Org mode for technical content:

  • Universal Language Support: From systems languages like Rust and Go to web technologies like JavaScript and CSS
  • Consistent Formatting: All code blocks maintain consistent indentation and styling
  • Export Flexibility: Content can be exported to HTML, PDF, LaTeX, and many other formats
  • Literate Programming: Code and documentation can be seamlessly integrated

Whether you're writing technical tutorials, documenting APIs, or creating educational content, Org mode provides the tools needed to present code clearly and professionally.

To use these code blocks in your own Org documents, simply use:
#+BEGIN_SRC language_name
your code here
#+END_SRC

About This Post

This demonstration was created to showcase the versatility of Org mode's syntax highlighting across different programming paradigms - from data science with Python to systems programming with Rust, from web development with JavaScript and HTML/CSS to database work with SQL, and system administration with Bash scripting.

Each example represents real-world, practical code that demonstrates both the language's capabilities and Org mode's excellent presentation features.