Sphinx uses interpreted text roles to insert semantic markup into documents.
They are written as :rolename:`content`.
Note
The default role (`content`) has no special meaning by default. You are
free to use it for anything you like, e.g. variable names; use the
:confval:`default_role` config value to set it to a known role -- the
:rst:role:`any` role to find anything or the :rst:role:`py:obj` role to find
Python objects are very useful for this.
See :doc:`/usage/domains/index` for roles added by domains.
See :doc:`/usage/referencing/`.
Cross-reference roles include:
- :rst:role:`any`
- :rst:role:`doc`
- :rst:role:`download`
- :rst:role:`envvar`
- :rst:role:`keyword`
- :rst:role:`numref`
- :rst:role:`option` (and the deprecated :rst:role:`!cmdoption`)
- :rst:role:`ref`
- :rst:role:`term`
- :rst:role:`token`
.. rst:role:: code
An *inline* code example. When used directly, this role just displays the
text *without* syntax highlighting, as a literal.
.. code-block:: rst
By default, inline code such as :code:`1 + 2` just displays without
highlighting.
Displays: By default, inline code such as :code:`1 + 2` just displays without
highlighting.
Unlike the :rst:dir:`code-block` directive, this role does not respect the
default language set by the :rst:dir:`highlight` directive.
To enable syntax highlighting, you must first use the Docutils :dudir:`role`
directive to define a custom role associated with a specific language:
.. code-block:: rst
.. role:: python(code)
:language: python
In Python, :python:`1 + 2` is equal to :python:`3`.
To display a multi-line code example, use the :rst:dir:`code-block` directive
instead.
.. rst:role:: math
Role for inline math. Use like this::
Since Pythagoras, we know that :math:`a^2 + b^2 = c^2`.
Displays: Since Pythagoras, we know that :math:`a^2 + b^2 = c^2`.
.. rst:role:: eq
Same as :rst:role:`math:numref`.
The following roles don't do anything special except formatting the text in a different style:
.. rst:role:: abbr
An abbreviation. If the role content contains a parenthesized explanation,
it will be treated specially: it will be shown in a tool-tip in HTML, and
output only once in LaTeX.
For example: ``:abbr:`LIFO (last-in, first-out)``` displays
:abbr:`LIFO (last-in, first-out)`.
.. versionadded:: 0.6
.. rst:role:: command
The name of an OS-level command, such as ``rm``.
For example: :command:`rm`
.. rst:role:: dfn
Mark the defining instance of a term in the text. (No index entries are
generated.)
For example: :dfn:`binary mode`
.. rst:role:: file
The name of a file or directory. Within the contents, you can use curly
braces to indicate a "variable" part, for example::
... is installed in :file:`/usr/lib/python3.{x}/site-packages` ...
Displays: ... is installed in :file:`/usr/lib/python3.{x}/site-packages` ...
In the built documentation, the ``x`` will be displayed differently to
indicate that it is to be replaced by the Python minor version.
.. rst:role:: guilabel
Labels presented as part of an interactive user interface should be marked
using ``guilabel``. This includes labels from text-based interfaces such as
those created using :mod:`curses` or other text-based libraries. Any label
used in the interface should be marked with this role, including button
labels, window titles, field names, menu and menu selection names, and even
values in selection lists.
.. versionchanged:: 1.0
An accelerator key for the GUI label can be included using an ampersand;
this will be stripped and displayed underlined in the output (for example:
``:guilabel:`&Cancel``` displays :guilabel:`&Cancel`). To include a literal
ampersand, double it.
.. rst:role:: kbd
Mark a sequence of keystrokes. What form the key sequence takes may depend
on platform- or application-specific conventions. When there are no
relevant conventions, the names of modifier keys should be spelled out, to
improve accessibility for new users and non-native speakers. For example,
an *xemacs* key sequence may be marked like ``:kbd:`C-x C-f```, but without
reference to a specific application or platform, the same sequence should be
marked as ``:kbd:`Control-x Control-f```, displaying :kbd:`C-x C-f` and
:kbd:`Control-x Control-f` respectively.
.. rst:role:: mailheader
The name of an RFC 822-style mail header. This markup does not imply that
the header is being used in an email message, but can be used to refer to
any header of the same "style." This is also used for headers defined by
the various MIME specifications. The header name should be entered in the
same way it would normally be found in practice, with the camel-casing
conventions being preferred where there is more than one common usage. For
example: ``:mailheader:`Content-Type``` displays :mailheader:`Content-Type`.
.. rst:role:: makevar
The name of a :command:`make` variable.
For example: :makevar:`help`
.. rst:role:: manpage
A reference to a Unix manual page including the section, e.g.
``:manpage:`ls(1)``` displays :manpage:`ls(1)`. Creates a hyperlink to an
external site rendering the manpage if :confval:`manpages_url` is defined.
.. rst:role:: menuselection
Menu selections should be marked using the ``menuselection`` role. This is
used to mark a complete sequence of menu selections, including selecting
submenus and choosing a specific operation, or any subsequence of such a
sequence. The names of individual selections should be separated by
``-->``.
For example, to mark the selection "Start > Programs", use this markup::
:menuselection:`Start --> Programs`
Displays: :menuselection:`Start --> Programs`
When including a selection that includes some trailing indicator, such as
the ellipsis some operating systems use to indicate that the command opens a
dialog, the indicator should be omitted from the selection name.
``menuselection`` also supports ampersand accelerators just like
:rst:role:`guilabel`.
.. rst:role:: mimetype
The name of a MIME type, or a component of a MIME type (the major or minor
portion, taken alone).
For example: :mimetype:`text/plain`
.. rst:role:: newsgroup
The name of a Usenet newsgroup.
For example: :newsgroup:`comp.lang.python`
.. todo:: Is this not part of the standard domain?
.. rst:role:: program
The name of an executable program. This may differ from the file name for
the executable for some platforms. In particular, the ``.exe`` (or other)
extension should be omitted for Windows programs.
For example: :program:`curl`
.. rst:role:: regexp
A regular expression. Quotes should not be included.
For example: :regexp:`([abc])+`
.. rst:role:: samp
A piece of literal text, such as code. Within the contents, you can use
curly braces to indicate a "variable" part, as in :rst:role:`file`. For
example, in ``:samp:`print(1+{variable})```, the part ``variable`` would be
emphasized: :samp:`print(1+{variable})`
If you don't need the "variable part" indication, use the standard
:rst:role:`code` role instead.
.. versionchanged:: 1.8
Allowed to escape curly braces with backslash
There is also an :rst:role:`index` role to generate index entries.
The following roles generate external links:
.. rst:role:: cve
A reference to a Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures record. This
generates appropriate index entries. The text "CVE *number*\ " is
generated; in the HTML output, this text is a hyperlink to an online copy
of the specified CVE. You can link to a specific section by saying
``:cve:`number#anchor```.
For example: :cve:`2020-10735`
.. versionadded:: 7.3
.. rst:role:: cwe
A reference to a Common Weakness Enumeration. This generates appropriate
index entries. The text "CWE *number*\ " is generated; in the HTML output,
this text is a hyperlink to an online copy of the specified CWE. You can
link to a specific section by saying ``:cwe:`number#anchor```.
For example: :cwe:`787`
.. versionadded:: 7.3
.. rst:role:: pep
A reference to a Python Enhancement Proposal. This generates appropriate
index entries. The text "PEP *number*\ " is generated; in the HTML output,
this text is a hyperlink to an online copy of the specified PEP. You can
link to a specific section by saying ``:pep:`number#anchor```.
For example: :pep:`8`
.. rst:role:: rfc
A reference to an Internet Request for Comments. This generates appropriate
index entries. The text "RFC *number*\ " is generated; in the HTML output,
this text is a hyperlink to an online copy of the specified RFC. You can
link to a specific section by saying ``:rfc:`number#anchor```.
For example: :rfc:`2324`
Note that there are no special roles for including hyperlinks as you can use the standard reST markup for that purpose.
The documentation system provides three substitutions that are defined by default. They are set in the build configuration file.
.. describe:: |release|
Replaced by the project release the documentation refers to. This is meant
to be the full version string including alpha/beta/release candidate tags,
e.g. ``2.5.2b3``. Set by :confval:`release`.
.. describe:: |version|
Replaced by the project version the documentation refers to. This is meant to
consist only of the major and minor version parts, e.g. ``2.5``, even for
version 2.5.1. Set by :confval:`version`.
.. describe:: |today|
Replaced by either today's date (the date on which the document is read), or
the date set in the build configuration file. Normally has the format
``April 14, 2007``. Set by :confval:`today_fmt` and :confval:`today`.
.. describe:: |translation progress|
Replaced by the translation progress of the document.
This substitution is intented for use by document translators
as a marker for the translation progress of the document.