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Rich text is computer text that has formatting like bold, italics, or bullet points, unlike plain text which lacks all formatting. It can also include multimedia elements like images and links. A common format for rich text is the Rich Text Format (RTF) file, which is compatible across different operating systems and applications, but other modern implementations exist in web content management and other applications.

What it is

Formatted text: Rich text allows for formatting such as bold, italics, and underlining to be applied to text.

Multimedia: It can also incorporate rich media like images, videos, and hyperlinks.

Structured content: Many modern systems use rich text to structure content, creating elements like headings, lists, and block quotes.

Cross-platform compatibility: Formats like RTF are designed to be compatible with various operating systems and programs, such as Microsoft Word and Apple Pages.

How it works

Rich Text Editors (RTEs): These are word processors or text editors that allow users to create and edit richly formatted content without needing to write code like HTML.

Control words: In the case of RTF, the text is marked up with specific "control words" that define formatting. For example, \b1 can turn bold on, and \b0 can turn it off, all enclosed in curly braces {}.