21 catalogued formats
Text & Markup Formats
Text formats differ in how much structure they carry. TXT is plain characters, Markdown adds lightweight syntax, HTML describes a document for the browser, RTF stores rich text for office apps, and LaTeX embeds typesetting instructions. Converting between them is a question of structure and rendering, not just file extension.
Why this format suite matters
- Plain text is portable but loses headings and formatting.
- Markup can be converted to rendered HTML or a document, but not every feature maps cleanly.
- Encoding and line endings can change readability across platforms.
Common formats in this suite
A sample of the catalog. Not every extension has a live converter.
| Format | Extension | MIME | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANSI | .ansi | application/octet-stream | ANSI text format |
| COD | .cod | application/octet-stream | COD text format |
| CWK | .cwk | application/octet-stream | CWK text format |
| JTD | .jtd | application/octet-stream | JTD text format |
| JTT | .jtt | application/octet-stream | JTT text format |
| LWP | .lwp | application/octet-stream | LWP text format |
| MARKDOWN | .markdown | application/octet-stream | MARKDOWN text format |
| MCW | .mcw | application/octet-stream | MCW text format |
| NBP | .nbp | application/octet-stream | NBP text format |
| PAGES | .pages | application/octet-stream | PAGES text format |
| README | .readme | application/octet-stream | README text format |
| RST | .rst | application/octet-stream | RST text format |
| SCSS | .scss | application/octet-stream | SCSS text format |
| SDW | .sdw | application/octet-stream | SDW text format |
| STW | .stw | application/octet-stream | STW text format |
| SXG | .sxg | application/octet-stream | SXG text format |
| SXW | .sxw | application/octet-stream | SXW text format |
| UOT | .uot | application/octet-stream | UOT text format |
| VOR | .vor | application/octet-stream | VOR text format |
| WPD | .wpd | application/octet-stream | WPD text format |
| ZABW | .zabw | application/octet-stream | ZABW text format |
Common workflows
Writing
Use Markdown for readable source and render HTML or PDF for delivery.
Publishing
Keep the source text and generate the output format from a controlled build.
Data interchange
Use structured markup only when the receiving system supports it.
Before you convert
Start with the application that must open the result. Use Markdown for readable source and render HTML or PDF for delivery. Keep the original file until the output has been opened and checked. A format name alone does not guarantee compatibility, especially for text & markup formats data that may include references, layers, or platform-specific metadata.
- Confirm the source file opens correctly in its original application.
- Identify the exact format and version the destination accepts.
- Keep the source until the converted file has been reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Markdown support all HTML features?
- No. Markdown covers common formatting and can include raw HTML, but the renderer decides what is allowed.
- Can I convert HTML to plain text?
- Yes, but the result usually drops links, tables, and formatting. Keep the HTML source for structure.
- What is RTF?
- RTF is a rich-text interchange format that stores basic formatting in a text-based syntax.
- Which encoding should I use?
- UTF-8 is the safest default for multilingual text and modern systems.
- What should I check before converting a text & markup formats file?
- Confirm that the source opens in its original application, identify the format the destination requires, and keep an untouched copy. Test one representative file before processing a batch, especially when metadata, links, geometry, or layout matters.