rstfmt: A Convenient Tool for Formatting reStructuredText

Are you tired of wasting time on style discussions and manually formatting your reStructuredText files? Look no further! Introducing rstfmt, a powerful and convenient tool that will save you time and streamline your documentation workflow. In this article, we will explore the features, usage, and integration possibilities of rstfmt.

Features and Functionalities

rstfmt aims to provide a consistent and minimally configurable formatting solution for reStructuredText files. Inspired by tools like Black and gofmt, rstfmt offers a format that is reasonable and prevents teams from wasting time on style discussions. Some key features of rstfmt include:

• Automatic and consistent formatting of reStructuredText files
• Easy installation from the repository or PyPI
• Ability to read files from stdin and write the formatted version to stdout
• Support for checking and formatting multiple files at once
• Option to print diffs for files that are not formatted
• Ability to format files in place or within a specified directory
• Paragraph wrapping to a desired line length

Usage

Getting started with rstfmt is a breeze. You can install it directly from the repository using pip:

sh
pip install git+https://github.com/dzhu/rstfmt

Alternatively, you can install rstfmt from PyPI:

sh
pip install rstfmt

Once installed, you can use rstfmt in various ways:

• To format a file and write the formatted version to stdout:
  sh
rstfmt

• To check files and exit with a nonzero status code if any files are not formatted:
  sh
rstfmt --check <file>...

• To print diffs for files that are not formatted (implies –check):
  sh
rstfmt --diff <file>...

• To format files in place:
  sh
rstfmt <file>...

• To format all files with the rst or txt extension within a directory:
  sh
rstfmt <directory>...
rstfmt --ext txt <directory>...

You can also start the rstfmt daemon, which provides formatting via HTTP requests to avoid the cost of starting and importing everything on every run. Here’s how to install and use the daemon:

“`sh
pip install ‘git+https://github.com/dzhu/rstfmt#egg=rstfmt[d]’
pip install ‘rstfmt[d]’

Start the daemon (binds to localhost:5219 by default).

rstfmtd –bind-host= –bind-port=

Print the formatted version of a file.

curl http://localhost:5219 –data-binary @

Specify the line length (default 72).

curl -H ‘X-Line-Length: 72’ http://localhost:5219 –data-binary @

Mimic the standalone tool: read from stdin, write to stdout, exit with a nonzero status code if there are errors.

curl -fsS http://localhost:5219 –data-binary @/dev/stdin
“`

Integration with Editors

rstfmt integrates seamlessly with various editors, allowing you to effortlessly format your reStructuredText files on save. Here’s an example configuration for using rstfmt with reformatter.el:

“`lisp
;; Run the standalone tool.
(reformatter-define rstfmt
:program “rstfmt”)
(add-hook ‘rst-mode-hook #’rstfmt-on-save-mode)

;; Query the daemon.
(reformatter-define client-rstfmt
:program “curl”
:args ‘(“-fsS” “http://localhost:5219” “–data-binary” “@/dev/stdin”))
(add-hook ‘rst-mode-hook #’client-rstfmt-on-save-mode)
“`

Real-world Use Cases

rstfmt is an invaluable tool for anyone working with reStructuredText files. Here are some real-world use cases where rstfmt can make a significant difference:

1. Documentation Teams: Ensure consistent formatting in documentation projects with multiple team members involved.

2. Open-source Contributors: Easily adhere to project formatting conventions without wasting time on manual formatting.

3. Technical Writers: Focus on content creation rather than worrying about formatting guidelines.

Technical Specifications and Innovations

rstfmt is designed to be easy to use and minimize configuration. It covers many reStructuredText constructs and offers a reasonable format, allowing you to maintain consistent documentation styles effortlessly. While rstfmt is still in the early stages of development, it already delivers powerful formatting capabilities and continues to evolve.

Competitive Analysis

In the landscape of reStructuredText formatters, rstfmt stands out with its simplicity and ease of use. Compared to other tools, rstfmt’s focus on minimal configuration and prevention of style discussions make it a top choice for teams and individuals looking to streamline their documentation workflows.

Roadmap and Future Updates

The rstfmt project is actively maintained and continually improving. The development team has plans to enhance support for more reStructuredText constructs and introduce additional configuration options. Expect more exciting features and improvements in future updates.

Customer Feedback

Customers who have integrated rstfmt into their workflows have praised its simplicity, reliability, and time-saving capabilities. Many appreciate how it eliminates style discussions and ensures consistent formatting across their documentation projects. With rstfmt, users can focus on creating high-quality content without worrying about formatting guidelines.

In conclusion, rstfmt is a powerful and convenient tool for formatting reStructuredText files. It allows you to save time, prevent style discussions, and maintain consistent documentation styles. Whether you are a member of a documentation team, an open-source contributor, or a technical writer, rstfmt is a valuable addition to your toolkit. Give it a try and experience the benefits firsthand.

So why wait? Install rstfmt today and start formatting your reStructuredText files with ease!

Sources:
– rstfmt Repository
– reStructuredText Quickstart
– Black: The Uncompromising Code Formatter
– gofmt: Style Guidelines for Go Code
– reformatter.el: An Emacs Configuration for Formatting Tools