Developer builds LinkedIn formatter while wrestling with Unicode text substitution pitfalls

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A developer created a LinkedIn post-formatting tool and discovered that styled text on the platform works through Unicode character substitution, not traditional rich-text formatting. Characters typed normally are swapped for visually similar mathematical Unicode symbols, which LinkedIn accepts but which can cause problems for screen readers, search systems, and ATS resume parsers. The developer shifted the product's core question from how many styles to support to how to guide users toward responsible, sparing use of styled text. The tool was designed to make common professional formatting straightforward while deprioritizing decorative options that could make posts look unprofessional or inaccessible. The developer now recommends treating Unicode caveats as a first-class product feature from the outset, rather than burying them as fine-print disclaimers.

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