Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

reStructuredText VS Org mode

Compare reStructuredText VS Org mode and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

reStructuredText logo reStructuredText

Invented for Python documentation.

Org mode logo Org mode

Org: an Emacs Mode for Notes, Planning, and Authoring
  • reStructuredText Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-26
  • Org mode Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-15

reStructuredText features and specs

  • Readability
    reStructuredText offers a clean, readable syntax that resembles plain text, making it easy for humans to read and write without requiring special software.
  • Extensibility
    It permits extensions and custom directives, allowing users to create new functionalities and adaptations specific to their needs.
  • Integration
    It is the default markup language for Python documentation and is naturally supported by Sphinx, which makes it suitable for generating detailed and attractive documentation.
  • Semantic Richness
    reStructuredText supports comprehensive semantic markup structures, enabling detailed annotations and proper structuring of documents.

Possible disadvantages of reStructuredText

  • Complexity
    Learning all of the features of reStructuredText can be complex for beginners due to its wide range of functionalities and strict syntax rules.
  • Limited Adoption
    Compared to Markdown, reStructuredText has a smaller user base and community support, which can limit resources and examples available for new users.
  • Tool Support
    While it is well-supported in Python environments, outside this ecosystem, there are fewer tools and editors that provide full support and previews for reStructuredText.
  • Less Forgiving
    The syntax is more rigid and less forgiving of errors compared to some alternatives like Markdown, which means small mistakes can lead to rendering issues.

Org mode features and specs

  • Seamless Integration with Emacs
    Org mode is tightly integrated with Emacs, allowing users to take full advantage of Emacs' powerful text-editing capabilities and extensive customization options.
  • Outline-Based Workflow
    Org mode supports hierarchical organization of information, which makes it easy to structure content in a clear, logical manner and manage complex documents or projects.
  • Task Management
    Built-in TODO lists, scheduling, and deadline management features make it a powerful tool for personal productivity and project management.
  • Export Capabilities
    Org mode can export documents to a variety of formats including HTML, LaTeX, PDF, and Markdown, making it versatile for different publishing needs.
  • Customizability
    Highly customizable through Emacs Lisp, allowing users to tailor Org mode to their specific workflow requirements.
  • Community and Extensions
    A robust community and numerous extensions are available, providing additional functionality and support.

Possible disadvantages of Org mode

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Requires significant time and effort to learn, especially for users who are not already familiar with Emacs.
  • Emacs Dependency
    Org mode is dependent on Emacs, which might not appeal to users who prefer different text editors or Integrated Development Environments (IDEs).
  • Complexity
    While it's powerful, the extensive features and customization options can become overwhelming and lead to a complex setup.
  • Lack of Standalone Version
    There is no standalone version of Org mode; it requires Emacs, which can be a barrier for those who do not want to use Emacs.
  • User Interface
    The text-based interface might not be as intuitive or visually appealing as modern, graphical task management or note-taking applications.

reStructuredText videos

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Org mode videos

org mode is awesome

More videos:

  • Review - 2018-11-14: Building a Second Brain in Org Mode - Tasshin Michael Fogleman

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to reStructuredText and Org mode)
Documentation
100 100%
0% 0
Task Management
0 0%
100% 100
Documentation As A Service & Tools
Project Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare reStructuredText and Org mode

reStructuredText Reviews

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Org mode Reviews

Ask HN: Favorite note-taking software?
Before going full Org Mode, I used MS OneNote, and liked it very much. My notes from that period has tons of images and annotated screenshots dumped into them. I miss that in my Emacs workflow nowadays. My dream software would be pieces of Org Mode on a OneNote-like canvas, with support for easily pasting images and drawing on them (especially using a graphics tablet, or at...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Org mode seems to be a lot more popular than reStructuredText. While we know about 181 links to Org mode, we've tracked only 10 mentions of reStructuredText. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

reStructuredText mentions (10)

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Org mode mentions (181)

  • Ask HN: How do you store the knowledge gained in a day?
    TIP: When asking for advice in relation to knowledge management, note-taking, etc., be sure to ask for precise details regarding commenters' solutions. There are many people who participate in these discussions who don't seem to take a lot of notes (e.g., one file or paper notepad for all of their notes!). I have a personal knowledge base that currently includes almost 7,000 files in which I store my notes. I take... - Source: Hacker News / 15 days ago
  • Ask HN: Static Site (not blog) Generator?
    My favorite static site generator is Org mode[1] for Emacs. Org files are written using a feature-rich lightweight markup language[2] that is much more powerful than Markdown (e.g., plain text spreadsheets). Org files can be exported to HTML[3]. The reason I prefer Org for static site generation is not because I already use Emacs. I actually started using Emacs about 20 years ago specifically to use Org mode. [1]... - Source: Hacker News / 22 days ago
  • Reinventing notebooks as reusable Python programs
    "until recently, Jupyter notebooks were the only programming environment that let you see your data while you worked on it." This is false. Org-mode has had this functionality for over two decades. https://orgmode.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Emacs 2024 Changes
    Work - I use org-mode heavily for my personal project management and note keeping. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • My 2024 review
    While embracing analog tools, I've also refined my digital organization using ORG mode in Emacs. The system has evolved to become more structured and efficient. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing reStructuredText and Org mode, you can also consider the following products

Asciidoctor - In the spirit of free software, everyone is encouraged to help improve this project.

Todoist - Todoist is a to-do list that helps you get organized, at work and in life.

pandoc - Pandoc is a Haskell library for converting from one markup format to another, and a command-line...

Workflowy - A better way to organize your mind.

Markdown by DaringFireball - Text-to-HTML conversion tool/syntax for web writers, by John Gruber

Trello - Infinitely flexible. Incredibly easy to use. Great mobile apps. It's free. Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details.