docutils

Docutils -- Python Documentation Utilities

docutils License unclear Active v0.23 released 2026-05-27

Install

docutils on PyPI

pip

pip install docutils

uv

uv add docutils

poetry

poetry add docutils

Package facts

License	not declared (unclear)
Python support	supports the current Python release (>=3.9)
Install friction	low — pure-Python wheel
Runtime dependencies	none
Maintenance	actively maintained — 78 days since the last release
First released	2009-12-28
Popularity	one of the top 1,000 most-downloaded packages on PyPI (30-day window, as of 2026-08-13)
Known vulnerabilities	none known (OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-13)

Evidence: docutils-0.23-py3-none-any.whl

Development Status :: 4 - BetaEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: End Users/DesktopIntended Audience :: Information TechnologyIntended Audience :: Other AudienceIntended Audience :: System AdministratorsLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseLicense :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License (GPL)License :: Public DomainNatural Language :: AfrikaansNatural Language :: ArabicNatural Language :: CatalanNatural Language :: Catalan (Valencian)Natural Language :: Chinese (Simplified)Natural Language :: Chinese (Traditional)Natural Language :: CzechNatural Language :: DanishNatural Language :: DutchNatural Language :: EnglishNatural Language :: EsperantoNatural Language :: FinnishNatural Language :: FrenchNatural Language :: GalicianNatural Language :: GeorgianNatural Language :: GermanNatural Language :: HebrewNatural Language :: ItalianNatural Language :: JapaneseNatural Language :: KoreanNatural Language :: LatvianNatural Language :: LithuanianNatural Language :: PersianNatural Language :: PolishNatural Language :: Portuguese (Brazilian)Natural Language :: RussianNatural Language :: SlovakNatural Language :: SpanishNatural Language :: SwedishNatural Language :: UkrainianOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: DocumentationTopic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: Software Development :: DocumentationTopic :: Text Editors :: DocumentationTopic :: Text ProcessingTopic :: Text Processing :: GeneralTopic :: Text Processing :: MarkupTopic :: Text Processing :: Markup :: HTMLTopic :: Text Processing :: Markup :: LaTeXTopic :: Text Processing :: Markup :: MarkdownTopic :: Text Processing :: Markup :: XMLTopic :: Text Processing :: Markup :: reStructuredTextTopic :: Utilities

About docutils

from the package's own PyPI description — quoted content, verbatim

======================= README: Docutils 0.23 =======================

:Author: David Goodger :Contact: goodger@python.org :Date: $Date: 2026-05-27 19:20:40 +0200 (Mi, 27. Mai 2026) $ :Web site: https://docutils.sourceforge.io/ :Copyright: This document has been placed in the public domain.

:Abstract: Docutils is a modular system for processing documentation into useful formats, such as HTML, XML, and LaTeX. For input Docutils supports reStructuredText, an easy-to-read, what-you-see-is-what-you-get plaintext markup syntax.

.. contents::

Quick-Start

This is for those who want to get up & running quickly.

Docutils requires Python, available from https://www.python.org/. See Dependencies_ below for details.
Install the latest stable release from PyPi with pip_::

pip install docutils

For alternatives and details, see section Installation_ below.

Use the front-end scripts_ to convert reStructuredText documents. Try for example::

docutils FAQ.rst FAQ.html

See Usage_ below for details.

Purpose

The purpose of the Docutils project is to provide a set of tools for processing...

Read as markdown · JSON record · Source repository · Homepage · Docs

AI interpretation — verify before relying

AI-generated interpretation of the package facts above; every digit, version, license, or vulnerability id it cites is grounded in the facts already shown on this page

Docutils converts plaintext documentation in reStructuredText format into HTML, XML, LaTeX, and other output formats using a modular processing system.

Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies. The package is actively maintained, with a release 78 days ago, and supports Python 3.9 through 3.14.

License treatment is unclear—the classifiers indicate BSD, GPL, and Public Domain coverage, but raw SPDX metadata is absent. Verify the actual license terms before use in proprietary projects.

Usage

pip install docutils

from docutils.core import publish_file
publish_file(source_path='input.rst', destination_path='output.html', writer_name='html5')

Python 3.9 or later is required; type hints in version 0.22+ use Python 3.10 syntax but are treated as annotations at runtime.

Verdict: Docutils is a mature, widely-used documentation processor with zero known vulnerabilities, low install friction, and active maintenance. The unclear license classification warrants verification before adoption in proprietary contexts, but the package is otherwise a solid foundation for reStructuredText-based documentation workflows.

Needs verification

Confirm the actual license terms (BSD, GPL, or Public Domain) applicable to version 0.23 for your use case
Whether optional dependencies (PIL, Pygments, myst-docutils, etc.) are needed for your specific output formats

restructuredtext to html converterdocumentation markup processingrst document generatorplaintext to xml converterdocutils rst parser