Lists¶

reST supports several types of lists, including unordered lists, ordered lists, nested lists, and definition lists. Below are examples of each type, with detailed explanations.

Basic Usage¶

Unordered Lists¶

To create an unordered list, use one of the following symbols: *, -, or +. These symbols can be used interchangeably to represent bullet points.

The most commonly used symbol is *, but you can choose any of the three symbols depending on your preference or style guide.

Example:

* Item 1
* Item 2
* Item 3

All three symbols will render as bullet points, but it is a good practice to pick one symbol for consistency throughout your document.

Ordered Lists¶

To create an ordered list, use numbers followed by a period (.). Each item in the list will be numbered automatically.

Note: The numbering you use when creating the list doesn’t have to be sequential. Sphinx will automatically renumber the items in order.

Example:

First item
Second item
Third item

Even if you use 1. for all items, Sphinx will correctly number them starting from 1.

Nested Lists¶

Nested lists can be created by indenting items under their parent item. Each level of nesting should be indented by at least two spaces or one tab.

Example:

* Level 1 Item 1
  * Level 2 Item 1.1
  * Level 2 Item 1.2
* Level 1 Item 2
  1. Level 2 Ordered Item 2.1
  2. Level 2 Ordered Item 2.2

This example shows both unordered and ordered nested items. You can mix and match different types of lists (unordered and ordered) within nested levels.

Definition Lists¶

A definition list is used to pair terms with their definitions. In this type of list, the term is followed by a colon (:) and the definition is placed on the next indented line.

Example:

Python
    : A high-level programming language.

reStructuredText
    : A lightweight markup language used in technical documentation.

Sphinx
    : A documentation generator that uses reStructuredText.

Key Points: - There should be no blank line between a term and its definition. - Each definition is indented by at least one space or tab. - You can have multiple definitions for a single term if needed.

For example, if a term has multiple definitions or explanations, you can repeat the pattern:

Python
    : A high-level programming language.
    : Widely used for web development, data science, and automation.

Blocks

Tables