diff --git a/after/queries/python/highlights.scm b/after/queries/python/highlights.scm
index 74d494e..cf412d2 100644
--- a/after/queries/python/highlights.scm
+++ b/after/queries/python/highlights.scm
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 ; extends
 
-(expression_statement
- ((string) @_var @variable)
- (#match? @_var "^[\"']{3}[%]{2}.*[%]{2}[\"']{3}$")
-)
-
 ; it can be # %% [markdown] or # %% [md]
 ((
   (comment) @_mdcomment
diff --git a/after/queries/python/injections.scm b/after/queries/python/injections.scm
index f6b077c..95a481a 100644
--- a/after/queries/python/injections.scm
+++ b/after/queries/python/injections.scm
@@ -1,13 +1,5 @@
 ; extends
 
-; match a string that starts with """%% and ends with %%"""
-; or starts with '''%% and ends with %%'''
-; and highlight it as markdown
-(expression_statement
- ((string) @markdown @markdown_inline)
- (#match? @markdown_inline "^[\"']{3}[%]{2}.*[%]{2}[\"']{3}$")
-)
-
 ; it can be # %% [markdown] or # %% [md]
 ((
   (comment) @_mdcomment
diff --git a/lua/jupynium/cells.lua b/lua/jupynium/cells.lua
index 047e042..2dae8a8 100644
--- a/lua/jupynium/cells.lua
+++ b/lua/jupynium/cells.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-local utils = require "jupynium.utils"
-
 local M = {}
 
 --- Get the line type (cell separator, magic commands, empty, others)
@@ -14,9 +12,9 @@ function M.line_type(line)
     return "cell separator: markdown"
   elseif vim.fn.trim(line) == "# %%" then
     return "cell separator: code"
-  elseif utils.string_begins_with(line, "# ---") then
+  elseif vim.startswith(line, "# ---") then
     return "metadata"
-  elseif utils.string_begins_with(line, "# %") then
+  elseif vim.startswith(line, "# %") then
     return "magic command"
   elseif vim.fn.trim(line) == "" then
     return "empty"
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ end
 ---@return boolean
 function M.is_line_separator(line)
   local line_type = M.line_type(line)
-  if utils.string_begins_with(line_type, "cell separator:") then
+  if vim.startswith(line_type, "cell separator:") then
     return true
   end
 
diff --git a/lua/jupynium/highlighter.lua b/lua/jupynium/highlighter.lua
index ae655c4..fae8ef5 100644
--- a/lua/jupynium/highlighter.lua
+++ b/lua/jupynium/highlighter.lua
@@ -22,44 +22,18 @@ local function set_hlgroup_if_not_exists(hlgroup, hlgroup_default)
 end
 
 function M.setup(opts)
-  if opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups then
-    -- deprecated, use vim.cmd [[hi! link Jupynium... ...]]
-    vim.notify_once(
-      "Jupynium: Setting highlight groups via opts is deprecated. Set directly using e.g. vim.cmd[[hi! link JupyniumCodeCellSeparator Folded]]",
-      vim.log.levels.WARN
-    )
-    if opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.code_cell_separator then
-      vim.cmd("hi! link JupyniumCodeCellSeparator " .. opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.code_cell_separator)
-    end
-    if opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.markdown_cell_separator then
-      vim.cmd(
-        "hi! link JupyniumMarkdownCellSeparator " .. opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.markdown_cell_separator
-      )
-    end
-    if opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.code_cell_content then
-      vim.cmd("hi! link JupyniumCodeCellContent " .. opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.code_cell_content)
-    end
-    if opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.markdown_cell_content then
-      vim.cmd("hi! link JupyniumMarkdownCellContent " .. opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.markdown_cell_content)
-    end
-    if opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.magic_command then
-      vim.cmd("hi! link JupyniumMagicCommand " .. opts.syntax_highlight.highlight_groups.magic_command)
-    end
-  end
-
   -- If the colourscheme doesn't support Jupynium yet, link to some default highlight groups
   -- Here we can define some default settings per colourscheme.
   local colorscheme = vim.g.colors_name
   if colorscheme == nil then
     colorscheme = ""
   end
-  if utils.string_begins_with(colorscheme, "tokyonight") then
+  if vim.startswith(colorscheme, "tokyonight") then
     colorscheme = "tokyonight"
   end
   local hlgroup
   if colorscheme == "tokyonight" then
     hlgroup = "Pmenu"
-    set_hlgroup_if_not_exists("JupyniumCodeCellSeparatorString", hlgroup)
     set_hlgroup_if_not_exists("JupyniumCodeCellSeparator", "Folded")
     set_hlgroup_if_not_exists("JupyniumMarkdownCellSeparator", hlgroup)
     set_hlgroup_if_not_exists("JupyniumMarkdownCellContent", hlgroup)
@@ -108,8 +82,10 @@ local ns_shortsighted = vim.api.nvim_create_namespace "jupynium-shortsighted"
 
 --- Set highlight group for a line
 ---@param buffer number
+---@param namespace number
 ---@param line_number number 0-indexed
 ---@param hl_group string
+---@param priority? number
 function M.set_line_hlgroup(buffer, namespace, line_number, hl_group, priority)
   priority = priority or 99 -- Treesitter uses 100
   pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_extmark, buffer, namespace, line_number, 0, {
@@ -121,6 +97,7 @@ function M.set_line_hlgroup(buffer, namespace, line_number, hl_group, priority)
   })
 end
 
+---@param namespace number
 function M.clear_namespace(namespace)
   vim.api.nvim_buf_clear_namespace(0, namespace, 0, -1)
 end
@@ -192,23 +169,13 @@ function M.update()
     for i, line_type in ipairs(line_types) do
       -- priority 9000: above treesitter, below shortsighted
       -- priority 99: below treesitter (default)
-      if utils.string_begins_with(line_type, "cell separator: code") then
+      if line_type == "cell separator: code" then
         M.set_line_hlgroup(0, ns_highlight, i - 1, "JupyniumCodeCellSeparator", 9000)
-        if line_type == "cell separator: code (string)" then
-          -- For closing markdown cell
-          -- %%""" or %%'''
-          M.set_line_hlgroup(0, ns_shortsighted, i - 1, "JupyniumCodeCellSeparatorString", 9001)
-        end
-      elseif utils.string_begins_with(line_type, "cell separator: markdown") then
+      elseif line_type == "cell separator: markdown" then
         M.set_line_hlgroup(0, ns_highlight, i - 1, "JupyniumMarkdownCellSeparator", 9000)
-        if line_type == "cell separator: markdown (string)" then
-          -- For opening markdown cell with string
-          -- """%% or '''%%
-          M.set_line_hlgroup(0, ns_shortsighted, i - 1, "JupyniumMarkdownCellSeparatorString", 9001)
-        end
-      elseif utils.string_begins_with(line_type, "cell content: code") then
+      elseif line_type == "cell content: code" then
         M.set_line_hlgroup(0, ns_highlight, i - 1, "JupyniumCodeCellContent")
-      elseif utils.string_begins_with(line_type, "cell content: markdown") then
+      elseif line_type == "cell content: markdown" then
         M.set_line_hlgroup(0, ns_highlight, i - 1, "JupyniumMarkdownCellContent")
       elseif line_type == "magic command" then
         M.set_line_hlgroup(0, ns_highlight, i - 1, "JupyniumMagicCommand", 9000)
diff --git a/lua/jupynium/init.lua b/lua/jupynium/init.lua
index ab9bb43..e12b3dc 100644
--- a/lua/jupynium/init.lua
+++ b/lua/jupynium/init.lua
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function M.get_folds()
   local line_types = cells.line_types_entire_buf()
 
   for i, line_type in ipairs(line_types) do
-    if utils.string_begins_with(line_type, "metadata") then
+    if vim.startswith(line_type, "metadata") then
       -- make sure metadata is before cells
       if vim.tbl_isempty(fold) then
         if vim.tbl_isempty(metadata) then
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function M.get_folds()
         end
       end
     end
-    if utils.string_begins_with(line_type, "cell separator") then
+    if vim.startswith(line_type, "cell separator") then
       if vim.tbl_isempty(fold) then
         fold.startLine = i - 1
         -- close metadata
diff --git a/lua/jupynium/server.lua b/lua/jupynium/server.lua
index c4fd7da..fc6f96d 100644
--- a/lua/jupynium/server.lua
+++ b/lua/jupynium/server.lua
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ local function get_system_cmd(cmd, args)
   if vim.fn.has "win32" == 1 then
     -- powershell.exe for powershell <= 5
     -- pwsh.exe for powershell >= 6
-    if utils.string_begins_with(vim.o.shell, "powershell") or utils.string_begins_with(vim.o.shell, "pwsh") then
+    if vim.startswith(vim.o.shell, "powershell") or vim.startswith(vim.o.shell, "pwsh") then
       cmd_str = [[& ']] .. vim.fn.expand(cmd) .. [[']]
       for _, v in ipairs(args) do
         cmd_str = cmd_str .. [[ ']] .. v .. [[']]
diff --git a/lua/jupynium/utils.lua b/lua/jupynium/utils.lua
index 8f929b5..a3f1bb3 100644
--- a/lua/jupynium/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/jupynium/utils.lua
@@ -1,25 +1,11 @@
 local M = {}
 
-function M.string_begins_with(str, start)
-  if str == nil then
-    return false
-  end
-  return start == "" or str:sub(1, #start) == start
-end
-
-function M.string_ends_with(str, ending)
-  if str == nil then
-    return false
-  end
-  return ending == "" or str:sub(-#ending) == ending
-end
-
 function M.wildcard_to_regex(pattern)
   local reg = pattern:gsub("([^%w])", "%%%1"):gsub("%%%*", ".*")
-  if not M.string_begins_with(reg, ".*") then
+  if not vim.startswith(reg, ".*") then
     reg = "^" .. reg
   end
-  if not M.string_ends_with(reg, ".*") then
+  if not vim.endswith(reg, ".*") then
     reg = reg .. "$"
   end
   return reg