Flag to not move footnotes #34

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1. ioggstream

   added

   enhancementNew feature or requestNew feature or request

   on Jun 19, 2026
2. KyleKing

   self-assigned this

   on Sep 1, 2026
3. KyleKing commented on Sep 1, 2026

   

   KyleKing

   on Sep 1, 2026

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   I have two open PRs that should do most of what you might want, but there are edge cases that are just really hard to work around. Let me know if this looks good and this is a demo:

   mdformat --keep-footnote-position demo-keep-footnote-position.md

   # `--keep-footnote-position` demo
   
   ## Happy path
   
   This package uses [flit](https://flit.readthedocs.io) as the build engine.[^flit]
   
   [^flit]: Flit only understands `pyproject.toml`-based packages, no `setup.py` fallback.
   
   `--keep-footnote-position` leaves `[^flit]` right where it is. Default mode would move
   it to the end of the document instead.
   
   An unreferenced definition is still dropped by default, same as normal mode:
   
   [^unused]: Nobody points to this one.
   
   ## Preserves position, doesn't infer one (Limitation)
   
   The flag only stops mdformat from *moving* definitions; it doesn't relocate one to sit
   near its reference if the source didn't already put it there.
   
   Two more notes.[^one] And a third.[^two]
   
   [^one]: Written in the traditional trailing style.
   
   [^two]: Same convention, same result either way.
   
   ## Limitation: a duplicate label keeps both definitions
   
   Default mode silently keeps only the *last* definition of a repeated label, discarding
   the first. `--keep-footnote-position` keeps both, since nothing merges them anymore:
   
   Referenced once.[^dup]
   
   [^dup]: First definition.
   
   [^dup]: Second definition for the same label.

   What do you think of #44 and #45? Would they address your request?