RST Format Guide
RST — reStructuredText, the lightweight markup language used by Python documentation and the Sphinx documentation generator
About RST Format
RST (reStructuredText) is a lightweight markup language that is part of the Docutils project. It uses plain text files with the .rst extension and provides a simple yet powerful syntax for creating structured documents. reStructuredText was designed to be readable in its raw form while supporting rich output formats through processing tools.
RST is the default markup language for Python documentation and is used extensively with the Sphinx documentation generator. It powers ReadTheDocs, one of the largest documentation hosting platforms, and is the standard for documenting Python packages, libraries, and frameworks. The format supports cross-references, automatic indexing, code highlighting, directives, and roles that make it ideal for technical documentation.
Advantages
- Standard markup language for the Python ecosystem and Sphinx documentation
- Powers ReadTheDocs — the largest open-source documentation hosting platform
- Rich directive and role system for extensible document features
- Built-in support for cross-references, footnotes, and citations
- Automatic table of contents, index generation, and document linking
- Plain text format — human-readable, version-control friendly
- Multiple output formats supported (HTML, PDF, EPUB, LaTeX, man pages)
- MIME type: text/x-rst
Disadvantages
- Steeper learning curve compared to Markdown
- Less widely known and used outside the Python community
- Strict whitespace and indentation rules can be error-prone
- Fewer editors and tools with native RST support compared to Markdown
- Verbose syntax for some common formatting tasks
Available Conversions
Convert reStructuredText to AsciiDoc format
Convert reStructuredText to AsciiDoc markup
Convert RST document to Kindle e-book
Encode RST content in Base64
Convert reStructuredText to BBCode markup
Export RST content to CSV format
Convert RST document to Word format
Convert reStructuredText to DocBook XML
Convert RST document to Word OOXML
Convert RST document to EPUB e-book
Convert RST document to EPUB3 e-book
Convert RST document to FictionBook
Encode RST content in hexadecimal
Convert reStructuredText to HTML page
Convert RST content to INI format
Convert RST to Jupyter Notebook format for interactive computing
Convert RST to Jira markup format for Atlassian tools
Convert RST content to JSON structure
Convert reStructuredText to LaTeX source
Export RST content as log file
Convert reStructuredText documents to Unix man page format
Convert reStructuredText to Markdown
Convert reStructuredText to MD format
Convert RST to MediaWiki markup
Convert RST document to Mobipocket e-book
Convert RST document to OpenDocument
Convert reStructuredText to Org-mode
Convert RST document to PDF
Convert RST document to PowerPoint
Convert RST content to Java Properties
Convert RST document to Rich Text Format
Generate SQL from RST content
Convert RST content to SVG format
Convert RST document to StarOffice Writer
Convert reStructuredText to TeX source
Convert reStructuredText to plain text
Convert reStructuredText to Textile markup
Convert RST content to TOML format
Convert RST to Typst format for modern typesetting
Export RST content to tab-separated values
Convert reStructuredText to plain text file
Convert reStructuredText to Wiki markup
Export RST content to Excel spreadsheet
Convert RST content to structured XML
Convert RST content to YAML format
Convert RST content to YML format