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Djot File Format (.dj)

A DJ file holds a Djot document, a lightweight markup that reads like Markdown but is built on an unambiguous grammar, so it parses the same way in every implementation.

.djDocuments

Djot at a glance#

Full nameDjot markup
File extension.dj
CategoryDocuments
DeveloperJohn MacFarlane
First released2022
CompressionUncompressed
FileFlip supportFileFlip reads and writes this format

What a .dj file can hold#

These are the things a Djot file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.

Selectable textYes
Human readableYes

Strengths and limitations of Djot#

What Djot does well

  • Parses in linear time with no backtracking, unlike CommonMark, which needs backtracking to resolve emphasis and a few other constructs
  • Adds definition lists, footnotes, tables, math, and insert, delete, and highlight spans that CommonMark leaves out
  • Designed by John MacFarlane, the creator of Pandoc and a co-author of the CommonMark spec, specifically to fix ambiguities he identified in Markdown's grammar

Where Djot falls short

  • Released in 2022, so editor support, syntax highlighting, and general tooling are far behind Markdown's
  • Close enough to Markdown to invite mistakes, since the syntax looks familiar but isn't identical
  • The spec still allows for minor future changes, so very early Djot documents could need small fixes to parse under a newer version

Write in Djot when Markdown's readability is wanted without its parsing ambiguities, and broad tool support isn't a requirement yet.

Convert Djot to another format when sharing with tools or people that only handle Markdown, HTML, or another mainstream format.

How to open a .dj file#

A .dj file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts Djot into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.

PlatformPrograms that open it
WindowsVisual Studio Code, Pandoc
macOSVisual Studio Code, Pandoc
LinuxVisual Studio Code, Pandoc
Webdjot.net playground, FileFlip

Djot questions people ask#

What is a .dj file?

A .dj file is a Djot document, a lightweight markup language that looks like Markdown but parses under a stricter, unambiguous grammar. It was designed in 2022 by John MacFarlane, who also created Pandoc and co-authored the CommonMark specification.

Who created Djot and why?

Djot was created by John MacFarlane, drawing on his essay 'Beyond Markdown' about the parsing problems built into Markdown and CommonMark. Djot keeps Markdown's familiar look while fixing the ambiguities that make CommonMark hard to parse efficiently, and adds features like footnotes and definition lists.

Is Djot the same as Markdown?

No, Djot only looks similar to Markdown. It derives most of its syntax from CommonMark but changes several rules to remove parsing ambiguities, so a document written for one won't reliably render correctly in the other.

Converting Djot files#

Convert Djot to another format

See every Djot conversion (37 more)

Convert another format to Djot

See every document conversion (62 more)

Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.