Explicit Markup

Explicit markup blocks are used for constructs which float (footnotes), have no direct paper-document representation (hyperlink targets, comments), or require specialized processing (directives). They all begin with two periods and whitespace, the “explicit markup start”.

Footnotes

Raw reStructuredText:

Footnote references, like [5]_.
Note that footnotes may get
rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of
the "page".

.. [5] A numerical footnote. Note
   there's no colon after the ``]``.

Typical result:

Footnote references, like 5. Note that footnotes may get rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of the “page”.

5

A numerical footnote. Note there’s no colon after the ].

Raw reStructuredText:

Autonumbered footnotes are
possible, like using [#]_ and [#]_.

.. [#] This is the first one.
.. [#] This is the second one.

They may be assigned 'autonumber
labels' - for instance,
[#fourth]_ and [#third]_.

.. [#third] a.k.a. third_

.. [#fourth] a.k.a. fourth_

Typical result:

Autonumbered footnotes are possible, like using 1 and 2.

1

This is the first one.

2

This is the second one.

They may be assigned ‘autonumber labels’ - for instance, 4 and 3.

3

a.k.a. third

4

a.k.a. fourth

Raw reStructuredText:

Auto-symbol footnotes are also
possible, like this: [*]_ and [*]_.

.. [*] This is the first one.
.. [*] This is the second one.

Typical result:

Auto-symbol footnotes are also possible, like this: * and †.

*

This is the first one.

†

This is the second one.

Citations

Raw reStructuredText:

Citation references, like [CIT2002]_.
Note that citations may get
rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of
the "page".

.. [CIT2002] A citation
   (as often used in journals).

Citation labels contain alphanumerics,
underlines, hyphens and fullstops.
Case is not significant.

Given a citation like [this]_, one
can also refer to it like this_.

.. [this] here.

Typical result:

Citation references, like [CIT2002]. Note that citations may get rearranged, e.g., to the bottom of the “page”.

CIT2002

A citation (as often used in journals).

Citation labels contain alphanumerics, underlines, hyphens and fullstops. Case is not significant.

Given a citation like [this], one can also refer to it like this.

this

here.