[red_trumpet]

How do you typeset your research then?

[diffeomorphism]

By just using the existing "code"/markup. Similarly, I would not count writing markdown as programming. Now if you need some new stuff, e.g. complicated tree diagrams, it starts to turn into programming.

[vjerancrnjak]

You could do it through Pandoc. Pandoc can process multiple data sources (citations, chapters, yamls etc.) and output a pdf.

You can turn on citation linking (in the text), you can apply a custom latex template.

Once it is all setup, you just write text in Pandoc Markdown.