# Present Tense

> Present Tense presents a deck as **live, reflowing text** — not a video. A
> deck is a single **reveal.js markdown** file. This file is the whole contract:
> give it to a model and it can write a deck that imports cleanly and reads well
> on a projector, a laptop and a phone at the same time.

## Give this to your model

Paste this file (or the prompt at the end) into your model, describe your talk,
and ask for **only the markdown**. Then open **Decks → Import** in Present Tense
and upload the `.md` file. The import reports what it found — slides, notes, and
anything worth fixing — and the deck is ready to present.

There is **no Present Tense syntax**: the format is reveal's own, unmodified.

## Conventions

| Convention | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `---` on its own line | Next horizontal slide |
| `--` on its own line | Next vertical slide (a stack within one slide) |
| `Note:` | Everything after it on that slide is speaker notes |
| `<!-- .element: class="fragment" -->` | The preceding element becomes a step |
| `<!-- .slide: ... -->` | Attributes on the current slide (class, background, auto-animate) |
| ` ```js [1\|2\|3] ` | Stepped code: the current line is marked on every screen |
| `$E = mc^2$`, `$$…$$` | Math (LaTeX), rendered as MathML |

Notes are **private**: they are lifted out of the markup at import and never
reach the audience or the projector. Write them as what you would actually say
(2–4 sentences per slide).

## Design is yours

There is **no house style**. A deck's own CSS controls how it looks, and the
renderer applies your styles **last**, so anything you bring wins. A neutral base
theme is applied only so reveal has a base size to compute `em` against — bring
your own fonts, colours and layout, or no CSS at all. Nothing about the renderer
assumes a look.

## Renderer rules that shape a deck

These are the renderer's constraints, not a design:

- **Canvas is 1280×720 (16:9) by default.** A slide is composed once and scaled
  to each screen; it never reflows. (The import screen can set 4:3 or 9:16.)
- **Body text 28px or larger** at design size. Smaller lands around 9px on a
  phone, and the import **warns** — it never rejects.
- **One idea per slide**, and let speaker notes carry the prose.
- **Real text is the product.** Words that are text copy, translate and zoom.
  Use an image where the picture is the point; use text where the words are.

## What the import removes (do not rely on it)

- **No scripts.** `<script>` and inline handlers (`onclick`, …) are removed.
- **`javascript:` and `data:` URLs** are removed (`data:` stays for images).
- **Links open in a new tab** (`target="_blank"` is forced).
- **A neutral base theme is applied** so reveal has a base size; the deck's own
  CSS is applied after it and wins.

## A complete example

```markdown
<!-- .slide: class="title" -->

# One number that matters

Latency, before and after. <!-- .element: class="fragment" -->

Note: Open by naming the one number. Do not explain the method yet.

---

## What changed

- p95 down 40%
- Two regions live <!-- .element: class="fragment" -->

Note: If they ask about cost, hold it for the next slide.

---

## The commands

```bash [1|2|3]
npm run build
npm run deploy
npm run smoke
```

Note: Step through the three lines. This is the part people copy.

---

## Next

<!-- .slide: data-background-color="#0b0b0a" -->

We ship the second half in June.

Note: End on the date. Leave this up for questions.
```

## Vertical slides

`--` starts a vertical slide inside the current one — a stack. Use it for a
detail under a heading, not for a new topic:

```markdown
## The plan

Three phases.

--

### Phase one

Ship the read path.

--

### Phase two

Ship the write path.
```

## Fragments and stepped code

A fragment reveals one step at a time; the room watches it land. Use them to
control pacing, not to hide content. A slide whose body is all fragments opens
empty and fills in as you step — that is intended, but never make the *only*
useful line a fragment the presenter might skip.

Stepped code marks the current line on every screen at once:

````markdown
```bash [1|2|3]
npm run build
npm run deploy
npm run smoke
```
````

## Math

Write LaTeX the way you would anywhere: `$E = mc^2$` inline, and `$$…$$` (or
`\[…\]`) for a display equation. It renders as **MathML**, so it works offline
and needs no fonts. A literal dollar sign is `\$`.

## Import

Open **Decks** in Present Tense, choose **Import**, and upload the `.md` file.
A reveal.js `.html` export (including a Slides.com export) works too. The import
never rejects a deck for quality — it reports what it found and what to fix.

## Copy-paste prompt

> You write Present Tense decks: a single reveal.js markdown file. Output ONLY
> the markdown, no code fences and no commentary.
>
> Conventions: `---` = next slide; `--` = next vertical slide; `Note:` =
> private speaker notes for that slide; `<!-- .element: class="fragment" -->`
> makes the preceding element a step; `<!-- .slide: ... -->` sets attributes on
> the slide; fenced code with a language, and `[1|2|3]` for stepped lines.
>
> Rules: canvas 1280×720 (16:9); body text 28px or larger; one idea per slide;
> speaker notes carry the prose; no `<script>` or inline handlers. There is no
> house style — your own CSS controls the look, so bring any design you like.
>
> Write a deck about: **<your talk here>**. Give every slide speaker notes.