docs.user.rst.quickref.html Maven / Gradle / Ivy
Quick reStructuredText
Quick reStructuredText
http://docutils.sourceforge.net/docs/user/rst/quickref.html
Being a cheat-sheet for reStructuredText
Updated $Date: 2009-07-14 16:05:34 +0200 (Die, 14 Jul 2009) $
Copyright: This document has been placed in the public domain.
The full details of the markup may be found on the
reStructuredText
page. This document is just intended as a reminder.
Links that look like "(details)" point
into the HTML version of the full reStructuredText
specification document. These are relative links; if they
don't work, please use the master "Quick reStructuredText" document.
Contents
- Inline Markup
- Escaping with Backslashes
- Section Structure
- Paragraphs
- Bullet Lists
- Enumerated Lists
- Definition Lists
- Field Lists
- Option Lists
- Literal Blocks
- Line Blocks
- Block Quotes
- Doctest Blocks
- Tables
- Transitions
- Explicit Markup
- Getting Help
Inline Markup
(details)
Inline markup allows words and phrases within text to have
character styles (like italics and boldface) and functionality
(like hyperlinks).
Plain text
Typical result
Notes
*emphasis*
emphasis
Normally rendered as italics.
**strong emphasis**
strong emphasis
Normally rendered as boldface.
`interpreted text`
(see note at right)
The rendering and meaning of interpreted text is
domain- or application-dependent. It can be used for things
like index entries or explicit descriptive markup (like program
identifiers).
``inline literal``
inline literal
Normally rendered as monospaced text. Spaces should be
preserved, but line breaks will not be.
reference_
reference
A simple, one-word hyperlink reference. See Hyperlink Targets.
`phrase reference`_
phrase reference
A hyperlink reference with spaces or punctuation needs to be
quoted with backquotes. See Hyperlink Targets.
anonymous__
anonymous
With two underscores instead of one, both simple and phrase
references may be anonymous (the reference text is not repeated
at the target). See Hyperlink Targets.
_`inline internal target`
inline internal target
A crossreference target within text.
See Hyperlink Targets.
|substitution reference|
(see note at right)
The result is substituted in from the substitution
definition. It could be text, an image, a hyperlink, or a
combination of these and others.
footnote reference [1]_
footnote reference 1
See Footnotes.
citation reference [CIT2002]_
citation reference [CIT2002]
See Citations.
http://docutils.sf.net/
http://docutils.sf.net/
A standalone hyperlink.
Asterisk, backquote, vertical bar, and underscore are inline
delimiter characters. Asterisk, backquote, and vertical bar act
like quote marks; matching characters surround the marked-up word
or phrase, whitespace or other quoting is required outside them,
and there can't be whitespace just inside them. If you want to use
inline delimiter characters literally, escape
(with backslash) or quote them (with double backquotes; i.e.
use inline literals).
In detail, the reStructuredText specification says that in
inline markup, the following rules apply to start-strings and
end-strings (inline markup delimiters):
- The start-string must start a text block or be
immediately preceded by whitespace or any of
' " ( [ { or <.
- The start-string must be immediately followed by non-whitespace.
- The end-string must be immediately preceded by non-whitespace.
- The end-string must end a text block (end of document or
followed by a blank line) or be immediately followed by whitespace
or any of ' " . , : ; ! ? - ) ] } / \
or >.
- If a start-string is immediately preceded by one of
' " ( [ { or <, it must not be
immediately followed by the corresponding character from
' " ) ] } or >.
- An end-string must be separated by at least one
character from the start-string.
- An unescaped backslash preceding a
start-string or end-string will disable markup recognition, except
for the end-string of inline literals.
Also remember that inline markup may not be nested (well,
except that inline literals can contain any of the other inline
markup delimiter characters, but that doesn't count because
nothing is processed).
Escaping with Backslashes
(details)
reStructuredText uses backslashes ("\") to override the special
meaning given to markup characters and get the literal characters
themselves. To get a literal backslash, use an escaped backslash
("\\"). For example:
Raw reStructuredText
Typical result
*escape* ``with`` "\"
escape with ""
\*escape* \``with`` "\\"
*escape* ``with`` "\"
In Python strings it will, of course, be necessary
to escape any backslash characters so that they actually
reach reStructuredText.
The simplest way to do this is to use raw strings:
Python string
Typical result
r"""\*escape* \`with` "\\""""
*escape* `with` "\"
"""\\*escape* \\`with` "\\\\""""
*escape* `with` "\"
"""\*escape* \`with` "\\""""
escape with ""
Section Structure
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
=====
Title
=====
Subtitle
--------
Titles are underlined (or over-
and underlined) with a printing
nonalphanumeric 7-bit ASCII
character. Recommended choices
are "``= - ` : ' " ~ ^ _ * + # < >``".
The underline/overline must be at
least as long as the title text.
A lone top-level (sub)section
is lifted up to be the document's
(sub)title.
Title
Subtitle
Titles are underlined (or over-
and underlined) with a printing
nonalphanumeric 7-bit ASCII
character. Recommended choices
are "= - ` : ' " ~ ^ _ * + # < >".
The underline/overline must be at
least as long as the title text.
A lone top-level (sub)section is
lifted up to be the document's
(sub)title.
Paragraphs
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
This is a paragraph.
Paragraphs line up at their left
edges, and are normally separated
by blank lines.
This is a paragraph.
Paragraphs line up at their left edges, and are normally
separated by blank lines.
Bullet Lists
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Bullet lists:
- This is item 1
- This is item 2
- Bullets are "-", "*" or "+".
Continuing text must be aligned
after the bullet and whitespace.
Note that a blank line is required
before the first item and after the
last, but is optional between items.
Bullet lists:
- This is item 1
- This is item 2
- Bullets are "-", "*" or "+".
Continuing text must be aligned
after the bullet and whitespace.
Note that a blank line is required before the first
item and after the last, but is optional between items.
Enumerated Lists
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Enumerated lists:
3. This is the first item
4. This is the second item
5. Enumerators are arabic numbers,
single letters, or roman numerals
6. List items should be sequentially
numbered, but need not start at 1
(although not all formatters will
honour the first index).
#. This item is auto-enumerated
Enumerated lists:
- This is the first item
- This is the second item
- Enumerators are arabic numbers, single letters,
or roman numerals
- List items should be sequentially numbered,
but need not start at 1 (although not all
formatters will honour the first index).
- This item is auto-enumerated
Definition Lists
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Definition lists:
what
Definition lists associate a term with
a definition.
how
The term is a one-line phrase, and the
definition is one or more paragraphs or
body elements, indented relative to the
term. Blank lines are not allowed
between term and definition.
Definition lists:
- what
- Definition lists associate a term with
a definition.
- how
- The term is a one-line phrase, and the
definition is one or more paragraphs or
body elements, indented relative to the
term. Blank lines are not allowed
between term and definition.
Field Lists
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
:Authors:
Tony J. (Tibs) Ibbs,
David Goodger
(and sundry other good-natured folks)
:Version: 1.0 of 2001/08/08
:Dedication: To my father.
Authors:
Tony J. (Tibs) Ibbs,
David Goodger
(and sundry other good-natured folks)
Version: 1.0 of 2001/08/08
Dedication: To my father.
Field lists are used as part of an extension syntax, such as
options for directives, or database-like
records meant for further processing. Field lists may also be
used as generic two-column table constructs in documents.
Option Lists
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
-a command-line option "a"
-b file options can have arguments
and long descriptions
--long options can be long also
--input=file long options can also have
arguments
/V DOS/VMS-style options too
-a
command-line option "a"
-b file
options can have arguments and long descriptions
--long
options can be long also
--input=file
long options can also have arguments
/V
DOS/VMS-style options too
There must be at least two spaces between the option and the
description.
Literal Blocks
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
A paragraph containing only two colons
indicates that the following indented
or quoted text is a literal block.
::
Whitespace, newlines, blank lines, and
all kinds of markup (like *this* or
\this) is preserved by literal blocks.
The paragraph containing only '::'
will be omitted from the result.
The ``::`` may be tacked onto the very
end of any paragraph. The ``::`` will be
omitted if it is preceded by whitespace.
The ``::`` will be converted to a single
colon if preceded by text, like this::
It's very convenient to use this form.
Literal blocks end when text returns to
the preceding paragraph's indentation.
This means that something like this
is possible::
We start here
and continue here
and end here.
Per-line quoting can also be used on
unindented literal blocks::
> Useful for quotes from email and
> for Haskell literate programming.
A paragraph containing only two colons
indicates that the following indented or quoted
text is a literal block.
Whitespace, newlines, blank lines, and
all kinds of markup (like *this* or
\this) is preserved by literal blocks.
The paragraph containing only '::'
will be omitted from the result.
The :: may be tacked onto the very
end of any paragraph. The :: will be
omitted if it is preceded by whitespace.
The :: will be converted to a single
colon if preceded by text, like this:
It's very convenient to use this form.
Literal blocks end when text returns to
the preceding paragraph's indentation.
This means that something like this is possible:
We start here
and continue here
and end here.
Per-line quoting can also be used on
unindented literal blocks:
> Useful for quotes from email and
> for Haskell literate programming.
Line Blocks
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
| Line blocks are useful for addresses,
| verse, and adornment-free lists.
|
| Each new line begins with a
| vertical bar ("|").
| Line breaks and initial indents
| are preserved.
| Continuation lines are wrapped
portions of long lines; they begin
with spaces in place of vertical bars.
Line blocks are useful for addresses,
verse, and adornment-free lists.
Each new line begins with a
vertical bar ("|").
Line breaks and initial indents
are preserved.
Continuation lines are wrapped portions
of long lines; they begin
with spaces in place of vertical bars.
Block Quotes
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Block quotes are just:
Indented paragraphs,
and they may nest.
Block quotes are just:
Indented paragraphs,
and they may nest.
Use empty comments to separate indentation
contexts, such as block quotes and directive contents.
Doctest Blocks
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Doctest blocks are interactive
Python sessions. They begin with
"``>>>``" and end with a blank line.
>>> print "This is a doctest block."
This is a doctest block.
Doctest blocks are interactive
Python sessions. They begin with
">>>" and end with a blank line.
>>> print "This is a doctest block."
This is a doctest block.
"The doctest
module searches a module's docstrings for text that looks like an
interactive Python session, then executes all such sessions to
verify they still work exactly as shown." (From the doctest docs.)
Tables
(details)
There are two syntaxes for tables in reStructuredText. Grid
tables are complete but cumbersome to create. Simple tables are
easy to create but limited (no row spans, etc.).
Plain text
Typical result
Grid table:
+------------+------------+-----------+
| Header 1 | Header 2 | Header 3 |
+============+============+===========+
| body row 1 | column 2 | column 3 |
+------------+------------+-----------+
| body row 2 | Cells may span columns.|
+------------+------------+-----------+
| body row 3 | Cells may | - Cells |
+------------+ span rows. | - contain |
| body row 4 | | - blocks. |
+------------+------------+-----------+
Grid table:
Header 1
Header 2
Header 3
body row 1
column 2
column 3
body row 2
Cells may span columns.
body row 3
Cells may
span rows.
- Cells
- contain
- blocks.
body row 4
Simple table:
===== ===== ======
Inputs Output
------------ ------
A B A or B
===== ===== ======
False False False
True False True
False True True
True True True
===== ===== ======
Simple table:
Inputs
Output
A
B
A or B
False
False
False
True
False
True
False
True
True
True
True
True
Transitions
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
A transition marker is a horizontal line
of 4 or more repeated punctuation
characters.
------------
A transition should not begin or end a
section or document, nor should two
transitions be immediately adjacent.
A transition marker is a horizontal line
of 4 or more repeated punctuation
characters.
A transition should not begin or end a
section or document, nor should two
transitions be immediately adjacent.
Transitions are commonly seen in novels and short fiction, as a
gap spanning one or more lines, marking text divisions or
signaling changes in subject, time, point of view, or emphasis.
Explicit Markup
Explicit markup blocks are used for constructs which float
(footnotes), have no direct paper-document representation
(hyperlink targets, comments), or require specialized processing
(directives). They all begin with two periods and whitespace, the
"explicit markup start".
Footnotes
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Footnote references, like [5]_.
Note that footnotes may get
rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of
the "page".
.. [5] A numerical footnote. Note
there's no colon after the ``]``.
Footnote references, like 5.
Note that footnotes may get rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of
the "page".
[5] A numerical footnote.
Note there's no colon after the ].
Autonumbered footnotes are
possible, like using [#]_ and [#]_.
.. [#] This is the first one.
.. [#] This is the second one.
They may be assigned 'autonumber
labels' - for instance,
[#fourth]_ and [#third]_.
.. [#third] a.k.a. third_
.. [#fourth] a.k.a. fourth_
Autonumbered footnotes are possible, like using 1 and 2.
They may be assigned 'autonumber labels' - for instance,
4 and 3.
[1] This is the first one.
[2] This is the second one.
[3] a.k.a. third
[4] a.k.a. fourth
Auto-symbol footnotes are also
possible, like this: [*]_ and [*]_.
.. [*] This is the first one.
.. [*] This is the second one.
Auto-symbol footnotes are also
possible, like this: *
and †.
[*] This is the first symbol footnote
[†] This is the second one.
The numbering of auto-numbered footnotes is determined by the
order of the footnotes, not of the references. For auto-numbered
footnote references without autonumber labels
("[#]_"), the references and footnotes must be in the
same relative order. Similarly for auto-symbol footnotes
("[*]_").
Citations
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Citation references, like [CIT2002]_.
Note that citations may get
rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of
the "page".
.. [CIT2002] A citation
(as often used in journals).
Citation labels contain alphanumerics,
underlines, hyphens and fullstops.
Case is not significant.
Given a citation like [this]_, one
can also refer to it like this_.
.. [this] here.
Citation references, like [CIT2002].
Note that citations may get rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of
the "page".
Citation labels contain alphanumerics, underlines, hyphens
and fullstops. Case is not significant.
Given a citation like [this], one
can also refer to it like this.
[CIT2002] A citation
(as often used in journals).
[this] here.
Hyperlink Targets
(details)
External Hyperlink Targets
Plain text
Typical result
External hyperlinks, like Python_.
.. _Python: http://www.python.org/
Fold-in form
External hyperlinks, like
Python.
Call-out form
External hyperlinks, like
Python.
Python:
http://www.python.org/
"Fold-in" is the representation typically used in HTML
documents (think of the indirect hyperlink being "folded in" like
ingredients into a cake), and "call-out" is more suitable for
printed documents, where the link needs to be presented explicitly, for
example as a footnote. You can force usage of the call-out form by
using the
"target-notes"
directive.
reStructuredText also provides for embedded URIs (details),
a convenience at the expense of readability. A hyperlink
reference may directly embed a target URI inline, within angle
brackets. The following is exactly equivalent to the example above:
Plain text
Typical result
External hyperlinks, like `Python
<http://www.python.org/>`_.
External hyperlinks, like
Python.
Internal Hyperlink Targets
Plain text
Typical result
Internal crossreferences, like example_.
.. _example:
This is an example crossreference target.
Fold-in form
Internal crossreferences, like example
This is an example
crossreference target.
Call-out form
Internal crossreferences, like example
example:
This is an example crossreference target.
Indirect Hyperlink Targets
(details)
Plain text
Typical result
Python_ is `my favourite
programming language`__.
.. _Python: http://www.python.org/
__ Python_
The second hyperlink target (the line beginning with
"__") is both an indirect hyperlink target
(indirectly pointing at the Python website via the
"Python_" reference) and an anonymous hyperlink
target. In the text, a double-underscore suffix is used to
indicate an anonymous hyperlink reference. In an anonymous
hyperlink target, the reference text is not repeated. This is
useful for references with long text or throw-away references, but
the target should be kept close to the reference to prevent them
going out of sync.
Implicit Hyperlink Targets
(details)
Section titles, footnotes, and citations automatically generate
hyperlink targets (the title text or footnote/citation label is
used as the hyperlink name).
Plain text
Typical result
Titles are targets, too
=======================
Implict references, like `Titles are
targets, too`_.
Titles are targets, too
Implict references, like Titles are
targets, too.
Directives
(details)
Directives are a general-purpose extension mechanism, a way of
adding support for new constructs without adding new syntax. For
a description of all standard directives, see reStructuredText
Directives.
Plain text
Typical result
For instance:
.. image:: images/ball1.gif
For instance:
Substitution References and Definitions
(details)
Substitutions are like inline directives, allowing graphics and
arbitrary constructs within text.
Plain text
Typical result
The |biohazard| symbol must be
used on containers used to
dispose of medical waste.
.. |biohazard| image:: biohazard.png
The 
symbol
must be used on containers used to dispose of medical waste.
Comments
(details)
Any text which begins with an explicit markup start but doesn't
use the syntax of any of the constructs above, is a comment.
Plain text
Typical result
.. This text will not be shown
(but, for instance, in HTML might be
rendered as an HTML comment)
An "empty comment" does not
consume following blocks.
(An empty comment is ".." with
blank lines before and after.)
..
So this block is not "lost",
despite its indentation.
An "empty comment" does not
consume following blocks.
(An empty comment is ".." with
blank lines before and after.)
So this block is not "lost",
despite its indentation.
Getting Help
Users who have questions or need assistance with Docutils or
reStructuredText should post a
message to the Docutils-Users mailing list. The Docutils project web
site has more information.
Authors:
Tibs
([email protected])
and David Goodger
([email protected])