# The reStructuredText Cheat Sheet: Syntax Reminders

Info:

  See <https://docutils.sourceforge.io/rst.html> for introductory docs.

Author:

  David Goodger <goodger@python.org>

Date:
  2025-09-13
Revision:
  10232
Description:

  This is a "docinfo block", or bibliographic field list

Note

If you are reading this as HTML, please read cheatsheet.rst instead to see the input syntax examples!

## Section Structure

Section titles are underlined or overlined & underlined.

## Body Elements

Grid table:

Paragraphs are flush-left, separated by blank lines.

> Block quotes are indented.

Literal block, preceded by "::":

    Indented

or:

    > Quoted

    >>> print 'Doctest block'
    Doctest block

Line blocks preserve line breaks & indents. Useful for addresses, verse, and adornment-free lists; long lines can be wrapped with continuation lines.

Simple tables:

List Type | Examples (syntax in the text source)
--- | ---

Bullet list

- items begin with "-", "+", or "*"

Enumerated list

1. items use any variation of "1.", "A)", and "(i)"

2. also auto-enumerated

Definition list

Term is flush-leftoptional classifier

  Definition is indented, no blank line between

Field list

field name:

  field body

Option list

`-o`

  at least 2 spaces between option & description

Explicit Markup | Examples (visible in the text source)
--- | ---
Footnote | [1] Manually numbered or [#] auto-numbered (even [#labelled]) or [*] auto-symbol
Citation | [CIT2002] A citation.
Hyperlink Target |
Anonymous Target |
Directive ("::") |
Substitution Def |
Comment |
Empty Comment | (".." on a line by itself, with blank lines before & after, used to separate indentation contexts)

## Inline Markup

emphasis; strong emphasis; interpreted text; interpreted text with role; inline literal text; standalone hyperlink, https://docutils.sourceforge.io; named reference, reStructuredText; anonymous reference; footnote reference, [1]; citation reference, [CIT2002]; like an inline directive; inline internal target.

## Directive Quick Reference

See <https://docutils.sourceforge.io/docs/ref/rst/directives.html> for full info.

Directive Name | Description
--- | ---
attention | Specific admonition; also "caution", "danger", "error", "hint", "important", "note", "tip", "warning"
admonition | Generic titled admonition: .. admonition:: By The Way
image | .. image:: picture.png; many options possible
figure | Like "image", but with optional caption and legend
topic | .. topic:: Title; like a mini section
sidebar | .. sidebar:: Title; like a mini parallel document
parsed-literal | A literal block with parsed inline markup
code | Literal block for code with optional syntax highlighting
math | Mathematical notation (input in LaTeX format)
rubric | .. rubric:: Informal Heading
epigraph | Block quote with class="epigraph"
highlights | Block quote with class="highlights"
pull-quote | Block quote with class="pull-quote"
compound | Compound paragraphs
container | Generic block-level container element
table | Create a titled table
list-table | Create a table from a uniform two-level bullet list
csv-table | Create a table from CSV data
contents | Generate a table of contents
sectnum | Automatically number sections, subsections, etc.
header, footer | Create document decorations
target-notes | Create an explicit footnote for each external target
replace | Replacement text for substitution definitions
unicode | Unicode character code conversion for substitution defs
date | Generates today's date; for substitution defs
include | Read an external reST file as if it were inline
raw | Non-reST data passed untouched to the Writer
class | Set a "class" attribute on the next element
role | Create a custom interpreted text role
default-role | Set the default interpreted text role
meta | Document metadata
title | Set the metadata document title

## Interpreted Text Role Quick Reference

See <https://docutils.sourceforge.io/docs/ref/rst/roles.html> for full info.

Role Name | Description
--- | ---
code | code in a formal language (see docs for syntax highlighting)
emphasis | Equivalent to emphasis
literal | Equivalent to literal but processes backslash escapes
math | Mathematical notation (input in LaTeX format)
PEP | Reference to a numbered Python Enhancement Proposal
RFC | Reference to a numbered Internet Request For Comments
raw | For non-reST data; cannot be used directly (see docs)
strong | Equivalent to strong
sub | Subscript
sup | Superscript
title | Title reference (book, etc.); standard default role