---
id: zope-structuredtext
version: "6.0"
license: ZPL-2.1
license_treatment: unclear
maintenance: active
---

# zope.structuredtext — StructuredText parser

License: unclear · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 129.0K/mo

## What it is and what it does

zope.structuredtext is a parser and renderer for STX, a lightweight markup language where indentation carries semantic meaning rather than explicit markup tags. It converts plain-text documents into structured output, primarily HTML. The package is part of the Zope ecosystem and has been maintained since its early releases, with recent updates adding support for modern Python versions (3.12, 3.13) and dropping older versions. It depends only on setuptools at runtime.

The package is useful when you need to parse or render documents written in the STX dialect—a format historically used in Zope documentation and legacy systems. It provides multiple output renderers and maintains backward compatibility while modernizing its internal structure (recent versions replaced pkg_resources with PEP 420 namespaces).

Use it for:

- Parse and render Zope documentation or legacy STX-formatted documents into HTML.
- Convert indentation-based plain-text markup to structured output formats for documentation pipelines.
- Integrate STX parsing into Zope-based applications or content management systems.
- Maintain or migrate legacy systems that rely on Zope's structured text format.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Parses and renders Zope structured text (STX), a plain-text markup dialect where document structure is signaled primarily by indentation.

Yes, if you work with Zope or legacy STX-formatted documents. The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, and supports current Python versions. However, verify ZPL-2.1 license compatibility first (marked unclear in metadata). Not recommended for new projects seeking a general-purpose markup parser—consider Markdown or reStructuredText instead.

## Install

pip install zope-structuredtext
uv add zope-structuredtext
poetry add zope-structuredtext

## Installing zope.structuredtext

Before you install: Low friction; single runtime dependency (setuptools). Active maintenance with recent release (6.0 in September 2025) and current Python support (3.9–3.13). Repository shows ongoing commits.

License in practice: Licensed under ZPL-2.1 (Zope Public License); treatment marked unclear in metadata. Verify compatibility with your project's license policy before use.

Quickstart:

pip install zope.structuredtext

from zope.structuredtext import stx
html = stx.html("Your structured text here")

Requires Python 3.9 or later.

Verify before relying:

- Whether ZPL-2.1 is compatible with your project's license requirements (marked unclear in metadata).
- Specific renderers available beyond HTML (e.g., DocBook, XML output formats).
- Whether this package is actively used outside the Zope ecosystem or primarily maintained for legacy support.

## Package facts

- License: ZPL-2.1 (unclear)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 129.0K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

structured text parser, zope stx markup, indentation-based markup, plain text document parser, stx renderer, zope documentation format, zope-ecosystem, legacy-format

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