Docutils Project Documentation Overview
- Contact:
- docutils-develop@lists.sourceforge.net
- Date:
- 2025-04-22
- Revision:
- 10101
- Copyright:
- This document has been placed in the public domain.
The latest working documents may be accessed individually below, or from the docs directory of the Docutils distribution.
Docutils Stakeholders
- can be categorized in several groups:
End-users
users of reStructuredText and the Docutils tools. Although some are developers (e.g. Python developers utilizing reStructuredText for docstrings in their source), many are not.
Client-developers
developers using Docutils as a library, programmers developing with Docutils.
Component-developers
those who implement application-specific components, directives, and/or roles, separately from Docutils.
Core-developers
contributors to the Docutils codebase and participants in the Docutils project community.
Re-implementers
developers of alternate implementations of Docutils.
There's a lot of overlap between these groups.
Most (perhaps all) developers are also end-users. Core-developers are also client-developers, and may also be component-developers in other projects. Component-developers are also client-developers.
Project Fundamentals
These files are for all Docutils stakeholders. They are kept at the top level of the Docutils project directory.
- README:
Project overview: quick-start, requirements, installation, and usage.
- COPYING:
Conditions for Docutils redistribution, with links to licenses.
- FAQ:
Docutils Frequently Asked Questions. If you have a question or issue, there's a good chance it's already answered here.
- BUGS:
A list of known bugs, and how to report a bug.
- RELEASE-NOTES:
Summary of the major changes in recent releases and notice of future incompatible changes.
- HISTORY:
Detailed change history log.
- THANKS:
Acknowledgements.
Introductory & Tutorial Material for End-Users
- Docutils-general:
- Writer-specific:
- reStructuredText:
A ReStructuredText Primer (see also the text source)
Quick reStructuredText (user reference)
reStructuredText Cheat Sheet (text only; 1 page for syntax, 1 page directive & role reference)
Demonstration of most reStructuredText features (see also the text source)
- Editor support:
Reference Material for All Groups
Many of these files began as developer specifications, but now that they're mature and used by end-users and client-developers, they have become reference material. Successful specs evolve into refs.
- Docutils-general:
The Docutils Document Tree (incomplete)
OASIS XML Exchange Table Model Declaration Module (CALS tables DTD module)
Docutils Design Specification (PEP 258)
- reStructuredText:
An Introduction to reStructuredText (includes the Goals of reStructuredText)
LaTeX syntax for mathematics (syntax used in "math" directive and role)
- Python Enhancement Proposals
PEP 256: Docstring Processing System Framework is a high-level generic proposal. [PEP 256 in the master repository]
PEP 257: Docstring Conventions addresses docstring style and touches on content. [PEP 257 in the master repository]
PEP 258: Docutils Design Specification is an overview of the architecture of Docutils. It documents design issues and implementation details. [PEP 258 in the master repository]
PEP 287: reStructuredText Docstring Format proposes a standard markup syntax. [PEP 287 in the master repository]
Please note that PEPs in the master repository developed independent from the local versions after submission.
- Prehistoric:
API Reference Material for Client-Developers
- The Docutils Publisher
entry points for using Docutils as a library
- Docutils Runtime Settings
configuration framework details
- Docutils Transforms
change the document tree in-place (resolve references, …)
The Docutils Design Specification (PEP 258) is a must-read for any Docutils developer.
Docutils Enhancement Proposals
Instructions for Developers
Development Notes and Plans for Core-Developers
- Docutils-general:
- reStructuredText:
- Suspended projects and plans: