1.1 Section Title

Section Subtitle

Lone subsections are converted to a section subtitle by a transform activated with the --section-subtitles command line option or the sectsubtitle-xform configuration value.

1.2 Empty Section

1.3 Transitions

Here's a transition:

It divides the section. Transitions may also occur between sections:

2.1 Paragraphs

A paragraph.

2.2 Bullet Lists

• A bullet list

  • Nested bullet list.

  • Nested item 2.

• Item 2.

  Paragraph 2 of item 2.

  • Nested bullet list.

  • Nested item 2.

    • Third level.

    • Item 2.

  • Nested item 3.

  • This nested list should be compacted by the HTML writer.

2.3 Enumerated Lists

1. Arabic numerals.

   1. lower alpha)

      1. (lower roman)

         1. upper alpha.

            1. upper roman)

2. Lists that don't start at 1:

   3. Three

   4. Four

   3. C

   4. D

   3. iii

   4. iv

2.4 Definition Lists

Term

Definition

Termclassifier

Definition paragraph 1.

Definition paragraph 2.

Term

Definition

Termclassifier oneclassifier two

Definition

2.5 Field Lists

what

Field lists map field names to field bodies, like database records. They are often part of an extension syntax. They are an unambiguous variant of RFC 2822 fields.

how arg1 arg2

The field marker is a colon, the field name, and a colon.

The field body may contain one or more body elements, indented relative to the field marker.

credits

This paragraph has the credits class set. (This is actually not about credits but just for ensuring that the class attribute doesn't get stripped away.)

2.6 Option Lists

For listing command-line options:

-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

--very-long-option

The description can also start on the next line.

The description may contain multiple body elements, regardless of where it starts.

-x, -y, -z

Multiple options are an "option group".

-v, --verbose

Commonly-seen: short & long options.

-1 file, --one=file, --two file

Multiple options with arguments.

/V

DOS/VMS-style options too

There must be at least two spaces between the option and the description.

2.7 Literal Blocks

Literal blocks are indicated with a double-colon ("::") at the end of the preceding paragraph (over there -->). They can be indented:

if literal_block:
    text = 'is left as-is'
    spaces_and_linebreaks = 'are preserved'
    markup_processing = None

Or they can be quoted without indentation:

>> Great idea!
>
> Why didn't I think of that?

2.8 Line Blocks

This section tests line blocks. Line blocks are body elements which consist of lines and other line blocks. Nested line blocks cause indentation.

Another line block, surrounded by paragraphs:

Take it away, Eric the Orchestra Leader!

A one, two, a one two three four

Half a bee, philosophically,

must, ipso facto, half not be.

But half the bee has got to be,

vis a vis its entity. D'you see?

But can a bee be said to be

or not to be an entire bee,

when half the bee is not a bee,

due to some ancient injury?

Singing...

A line block, like the following poem by Christian Morgenstern, can also be centre-aligned:

2.9 Block Quotes

Block quotes consist of indented body elements:

My theory by A. Elk. Brackets Miss, brackets. This theory goes as follows and begins now. All brontosauruses are thin at one end, much much thicker in the middle and then thin again at the far end. That is my theory, it is mine, and belongs to me and I own it, and what it is too.

—Anne Elk (Miss)

The language of a quote (like any other object) can be specified by a class attribute:

ReStructuredText est un langage de balisage léger utilisé notamment dans la documentation du langage Python.

2.10 Doctest Blocks

>>> print 'Python-specific usage examples; begun with ">>>"'
Python-specific usage examples; begun with ">>>"
>>> print '(cut and pasted from interactive Python sessions)'
(cut and pasted from interactive Python sessions)

2.11 Footnotes

[1](1,2,3)

A footnote contains body elements, consistently indented by at least 3 spaces.

This is the footnote's second paragraph.

[2](1,2)

Footnotes may be numbered, either manually (as in [1]) or automatically using a "#"-prefixed label. This footnote has a label so it can be referred to from multiple places, both as a footnote reference ([2]) and as a hyperlink reference.

[3]

This footnote is numbered automatically and anonymously using a label of "#" only.

This is the second paragraph.

And this is the third paragraph.

[*]

Footnotes may also use symbols, specified with a "*" label. Here's a reference to the next footnote: [†].

[†]

This footnote shows the next symbol in the sequence.

[4]

Here's an unreferenced footnote, with a reference to a nonexistent footnote: [5]_.

2.12 Citations

[CIT2002](1,2)

Citations are text-labeled footnotes. They may be rendered separately and differently from footnotes.

Here's a reference to the above, [CIT2002], and a [nonexistent]_ citation.

2.13 Targets

This paragraph is pointed to by the explicit "example" target. A reference can be found under Inline Markup, above. Inline hyperlink targets are also possible.

Section headers are implicit targets, referred to by name. See Targets, which is a subsection of Body Elements.

Explicit external targets are interpolated into references such as "Python [5]".

Targets may be indirect and anonymous. Thus this phrase may also refer to the Targets section.

Here's a `hyperlink reference without a target`_, which generates an error.

2.14 Directives

These are just a sample of the many reStructuredText Directives. For others, please see http://docutils.sourceforge.net/docs/ref/rst/directives.html.

2.14.2 Images and Figures

An image directive (also clickable -- a hyperlink reference):

Image with multiple IDs:

A centered image:

A left-aligned image:

This paragraph might flow around the image. The specific behavior depends upon the style sheet and the browser or rendering software used.

A right-aligned image:

This paragraph might flow around the image. The specific behavior depends upon the style sheet and the browser or rendering software used.

For inline images see Substitution Definitions.

Image size:

An image 2 em wide:

An image 2 em wide and 15 pixel high:

An image occupying 50% of the line width:

An image 2 cm high:

A figure is an image with a caption and/or a legend. With page-based output media, figures might float to a different position if this helps the page layout.

Plaintext markup syntax and parser system.

re	Revised, revisited, based on 're' module.
Structured	Structure-enhanced text, structuredtext.
Text	Well it is, isn't it?

This paragraph is also part of the legend.

A left-aligned figure:

This is the caption.

This is the legend.

The legend may consist of several paragraphs.

This paragraph might flow around the figure.

The specific behavior depends upon the style sheet and the browser or rendering software used.

A centered figure:

This is the caption.

This is the legend.

The legend may consist of several paragraphs.

This paragraph might flow around the figure.

The specific behavior depends upon the style sheet and the browser or rendering software used.

A right-aligned figure:

This is the caption.

This is the legend.

The legend may consist of several paragraphs.

This paragraph might flow around the figure. The specific behavior depends upon the style sheet and the browser or rendering software used.

Compound 2, literal.

Compound 4.
This one starts with a literal block.

This is a parsed literal block.
    This line is indented.  The next line is blank.

Inline markup is supported, e.g. emphasis, strong, literal
text, sub- and superscripts,
inline formulas: A = 2πr2,
footnotes [1], hyperlink targets, and references.

print 'This is Python code.'

 8 # print integers from 0 to 9:
 9 for i in range(10):
10     print i

1 .. header:: Document header
2 .. footer:: Document footer

2.15 Substitution Definitions

An inline image () example:

(Substitution definitions are not visible in the HTML source.)

2.16 Comments

Here's one:

(View the HTML source to see the comment.)

2.17 Raw text

This does not necessarily look nice, because there may be missing white space.

It's just there to freeze the behavior.

This is the fourth test with myrawroleclass set.

2.18 Container

2.19 Colspanning tables

This table has a cell spanning two columns:

2.20 Rowspanning tables

Here's a table with cells spanning several rows:

2.21 Complex tables

Here's a complex table, which should test all features.

2.22 List Tables

Here's a list table exercising all features:

2.23 Custom Roles

• A role based on an existing role.

  one two three

• A new role.

  one two three

• A role with class attribute.

  interpreted text

• A language-switching role:

  Let's count in German eins zwei drei.

• A role with multiple class attributes, styled with raw directives:

  The following works in most browsers but does not validate (<style> is only allowed in the document head):

  .. raw:: html
  
    <style type="text/css"><!--
     .green {color: green;}
     .sc {font-variant: small-caps;}
     --></style>

  British colourful text in small-caps.

2.24 SVG Images

Scalable vector graphics (SVG) images are the only standards-compliable way to include vector graphics in HTML documents. However, they are not supported by all backends/output formats. (E.g., LaTeX supports the PDF or Postscript formats for vector graphics instead.)

Rendering behaviour varies, depending on

1. The SVG image itself, e.g. fixed-size vs. scaling:

   width="280"              viewBox="0 0 280 27"
   height="27"              width="100%"
                            height="100%"

2. The method used to put the image in the document.

   For HTML, there are several alternatives including:

   • using the HTML <img> tag (not for interactive/animated SVG),

   • using the HTML <object> tag,

   • including within SVG using the SVG <image> tag,

   • embedd the SVG code within HTML (inlining).

   The html4css1 writer uses <object> tags, the html-base and xhtml11 writers use <img> tags.

3. The viewing agent.

   All up-to-date HTML browsers support SVG, however not all do this fully and in the same manner. Many older versions, especially IE < 9, have deficiencies or require plug-ins (i.e. don't support the <img> tag).

If the image is wrapped in <object> or <svg> tags, it depends on the viewBox declaration inside the images root <svg> element whether an SVG image is scaled or clipped/padded. Images wrapped in <img> are always scaled.

• 

  A scaling image (scales with the browser window), occupying 50% of the line width. The viewBox setting in the image file enables auto-scaling also in <object> tags and embedded SVG (if width and hight are set to 100% in the SVG <image> tag).

• 

  A fixed-size image in a box 50% wide and 15 pixles high. This image is scaled, if wrapped in an <img> tag but clipped in an <object> tag or within SVG.

• 

  A right aligned, scaling image 50% wide and 1.5 em high. (This SVG image keeps the aspect ratio.)

• An inline image scaled to a height of 0.8 em.

• 

  A scaling image 1 em high, right aligned:

• A scaling image 5 mm x 5 mm, centered, with hyperlink reference:

  
• 

  A fixed-size image in a 4 cm x 2 em box.

Older versions of webkit based browsers (chromium, safari, midori, konqueror) support the <img> tag but don't display contained bitmap images in this case.

• 

  A small, fixed-size SVG image with embedded bitmap, The :width: is set to 3 em in the rST source. Does not scale if wrapped in <object> tags.

• 

  A scaling SVG image with embedded bitmap, 3 em wide.

SVG images can also be put in figures:

Figure: SVG image in a figure.

2.25 SWF Images

Shockwave Flash is an image/movie format that most modern web browsers support via a plugin. It is sometimes blocked due to privacy/security concerns.

Images with extension .swf are placed inside <object> elements. For complete control over display options use raw HTML.

An SWF image in a 4 cm x 2 em box, left aligned.

An inline SWF image scaled to 0.8 em x 0.8 em.

3.1 Description list

Definition lists with the description class argument:

description lists

Lists that are styled like in most dictionaries, encyclopedias etc. (as well as the LaTeX description environment).

label

The term to be described. Put in boldface.

content

starts on the same line and has a hanging indent.

3.2 Field list handling

The following list demonstrates the problems with the html4css1 approach: the field-name-limit setting is given in "number of characters" but the field name uses a proportional font.

The field name

is typeset on the same line, unless it is "long".

this field name

is considered "long" in the html table rendering by the html4css1 writer with the default setting of --field-name-limit=14.

iiiiiiiiiiiiiii

a field name that is considered "long" by html4css1 with the default setting of field-name-limit: 14.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM

a field name that is actually longer than the previous one but regarded "short" by html4css1.

With html4css2, a field list is typeset as CSS-styled definition list. The default layout is similar to the look with html4css1:

A long field name

sticks into the field body.

The field body is pushed to the next line (you can suppress this behaviour with the run-in class argument).

Customization

of the field name width is possible with CSS instead of the field-name-limit configuration setting, for example:

dl.field-list > dd { margin-left: 6em; }

3.3 Table styling with class arguments

The html-base.css style sheet provides rules for easy styling of tables with the "class" directive or directive argument.

Numbered tables can be achieved with the numbered class option

Currently, referencing to the table by number is not supported. This is a common request and already on the TODO list.

In addition to the "borderless" table-style [7], the style sheet also defines "booktabs", that will be rendered similar to the style from the booktabs [8] LaTeX package.

This table also uses the "align-left" class argument, to left-align the headers:

Of course, also "booktabs" style tables can be numbered:

3.4 Maths

For maximal compatibility, the html-output setting defaults to »HTML«. (HTML 5 accepts also MathML and SVG as nested languages.)

The linear mapping f : ℂ^N⟼ℂ^N with

for all a ∈ ℂ^N is called discrete Fourier transformation (DFT).