Use quotes instead of escaping special characters

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 ### [2.0.0-RC1] 2020-09-10
 
   * Added more advanced filtering to avoid loading all versions of all referenced packages when resolving dependencies, which should reduce memory usage further in some cases
-  * Added support for many new lib-\* packages in the platform repository and improved version detection for some ext-\* and lib-\* packages
+  * Added support for many new `lib-*` packages in the platform repository and improved version detection for some `ext-*` and `lib-*` packages
   * Added an `--ask` flag to `create-project` command to make Composer prompt for the install dir name, [useful for project install instructions](https://github.com/composer/composer/pull/9181)
   * Added support for tar in artifact repositories
   * Added a `cache-read-only` config option to make the cache usable in read only mode for containers and such
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@
   * Fixed archive command to persist file permissions inside the zip files
   * Fixed init/require command to avoid suggesting packages which are already selected in the search results
   * Fixed create-project UX issues
-  * Fixed filemtime for vendor/composer/\* files is now only changing when the files actually change
+  * Fixed filemtime for `vendor/composer/*` files is now only changing when the files actually change
   * Fixed issues detecting docker environment with an active open_basedir
 
 ### [1.9.3] 2020-02-04
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@
 ### [1.9.2] 2020-01-14
 
   * Fixed minor git driver bugs
-  * Fixed schema validation for version field to allow dev-\* versions too
+  * Fixed schema validation for version field to allow `dev-*` versions too
   * Fixed external processes' output being formatted even though it should not
   * Fixed issue with path repositories when trying to install feature branches
 
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@
   * Fixed dist downloads from Bitbucket
   * Fixed some regressions related to xdebug disabling
   * Fixed `--minor-only` flag in `outdated` command
-  * Fixed handling of config.platform.php which did not replace other php-\* package's versions
+  * Fixed handling of config.platform.php which did not replace other `php-*` package's versions
 
 ### [1.3.0] - 2016-12-24
 

doc/03-cli.md

@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ including their current and latest versions. This is basically an alias for
 The color coding is as such:
 
 - **green (=)**: Dependency is in the latest version and is up to date.
-- **yellow (\~)**: Dependency has a new version available that includes backwards compatibility breaks according to semver, so upgrade when
+- **yellow (`~`)**: Dependency has a new version available that includes backwards compatibility breaks according to semver, so upgrade when
   you can but it may involve work.
 - **red (!)**: Dependency has a new version that is semver-compatible and you should upgrade it.
 
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ See the [Config](06-config.md) chapter for valid configuration options.
   option this lists the global configuration only.
 * **--file="..." (-f):** Operate on a specific file instead of composer.json. Note
   that this cannot be used in conjunction with the `--global` option.
-* **--absolute:** Returns absolute paths when fetching \*-dir config values
+* **--absolute:** Returns absolute paths when fetching `*-dir` config values
   instead of relative.
 * **--json:** JSON decode the setting value, to be used with `extra.*` keys.
 * **--merge:** Merge the setting value with the current value, to be used with `extra.*` keys in combination with `--json`.

doc/articles/versions.md

@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ with a wildcard. For example `1.0 - 2.0` is equivalent to `>=1.0.0 <2.1` as the
 
 Example: `1.0 - 2.0`
 
-### Wildcard Version Range (.\*)
+### Wildcard Version Range (`.*`)
 
 You can specify a pattern with a `*` wildcard. `1.0.*` is the equivalent of
 `>=1.0 <1.1`.
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ Example: `1.0.*`
 
 ## Next Significant Release Operators
 
-### Tilde Version Range (\~)
+### Tilde Version Range (`~`)
 
 The `~` operator is best explained by example: `~1.2` is equivalent to
 `>=1.2 <2.0.0`, while `~1.2.3` is equivalent to `>=1.2.3 <1.3.0`. As you can see

doc/fixtures/fixtures.md

@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ also be used as (initial) fixtures for tests.
 
 All these repositories contain the following packages.
 
-* `foo/bar` versions 1.0.0, 1.0.1 and 1.1.0; dev-default and 1.0.x-dev branches.
-   On dev-default and in 1.1.0, `bar/baz` \~1.0 is required.
-* `qux/quux` only has a dev-default branch. It `replace`s `gar/nix`.
-* `gar/nix` has a 1.0.0 version and a dev-default branch. It is being replaced
+* `foo/bar` versions `1.0.0`, `1.0.1` and `1.1.0`; `dev-default` and `1.0.x-dev` branches.
+   On `dev-default` and in `1.1.0`, `bar/baz` `~1.0` is required.
+* `qux/quux` only has a `dev-default` branch. It `replace`s `gar/nix`.
+* `gar/nix` has a `1.0.0` version and a `dev-default` branch. It is being replaced
    by `qux/quux`.
-* `bar/baz` has a 1.0.0 version and 1.0.x-dev as well as dev-default branches.
-   Additionally, 1.1.x-dev is a branch alias for dev-default.
+* `bar/baz` has a `1.0.0` version and `1.0.x-dev` as well as `dev-default` branches.
+   Additionally, `1.1.x-dev` is a branch alias for `dev-default`.