About Docutils: The basics of ReST

Docutils lays the foundation of the ReST markup language and provides the ReST parser.

Docutils is the final source of truth if it comes to questions about ReST syntax and basic idioms.

Learn about the basics of "reStructuredText"

Yes, there is original documentation about and around reStructuredText. But, oh dear, it looks it has never been styled and it may blow your mind at some points since the details are difficult to understand. But, there are good news as well: You can easily start nevertheless. Just use easy markup in the beginning.

A reading that organizes information

• Overview: reStructuredText

  Note: This document is about "Markup Syntax and Parser Component of Docutils"

  Note: "reStructuredText" is ONE word, not two!

User documentation

• A ReStructuredText Primer

  Note: This document is an informal introduction to reStructuredText. The What Next? section in there has links to further resources, including a formal reference.

• Quick reStructuredText

  Note: This document is just intended as a reminder. The full details of the markup may be found on the reStructuredText page.

• The reStructuredText Cheat Sheet: Syntax Reminders

  text only; 1 page for syntax, 1 page directive & role reference

Reference documentation

• An Introduction to reStructuredText

  including the Goals and History of reStructuredText

• Important: reStructuredText Markup Specification

  Note: This document is a detailed technical specification; it is not a tutorial or a primer. If this is your first exposure to reStructuredText, please read A ReStructuredText Primer and the Quick reStructuredText user reference first.

• Important: reStructuredText Directives

  Note: This document describes the directives implemented in the reference reStructuredText parser.

• reStructuredText Interpreted Text Roles

  Note: This document describes the interpreted text roles implemented in the reference reStructuredText parser.

Developer documentation

• A Record of reStructuredText Syntax Alternatives

• Problems With StructuredText

Howtos

• Creating reStructuredText Directives

• Creating reStructuredText Interpreted Text Roles

Docutils and Sphinx

Docutils basically deals with single files that contain reStructuredText.

Sphinx builds on Docutils and allows to join many single files together to form a Documentation Project like a book. And of course, since Sphinx is all about creating documentation projects, it comes with a beautiful and detailed documentation itself.

Tip

You have questions about reStructuredText? The first thing you should think of is: Visit the Sphinx-Doc website!