Documentation

The library

• ConTeXt and LuaTeX documentation is quite extensive. Start with Overview . The other manuals go into detail to understand the foundations, explore advanced features, modify or write features.
• Old manuals are marked with an "deprecated" banner. They can help you find your way between the different versions.
• You can also have a look to the other Community and web resources like magazines .

• Basics
• InputAndCompilation
• LayoutAndLayers
• Color
• CharactersWordsFonts
• References
• GraphicsAndMedia
• Tables
• Mathematics
• Chemistry
• Programming
• Development
• LowLevelTex
• ItCanBeDone
• BachoTEX

• 
  ConTeXt 蹊径 (2025)
• 
  Nepříliš krátký úvod do ConTEXtu Mark IV (2022)
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  Не башкратак увод у ConTEXt Mark IV (2022)
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  Eine kurze Einführung in ConTeXt (2021)
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  A not so short introduction to ConTeXt Mark IV (2021)
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  Una introducción (no demasiado breve) a ConTeXt Mark IV (2021)
• 
  Une courte introduction à ConTeXt (2021)
• 
  Une courte introduction à ConTeXt v2 (2021)
• 
  Не слишком короткое введениев ConTEXt Mark IV (2021)
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  ConTeXt commands reference - short syntax reference of all the commands (2020)
• 
  ConTeXt Mark IV an excursion (2017)
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  ConTEXt reference manual 2013 - Complete, but never up-to-date, and not fully cleaned-up. (2013)
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  What is ConTeXt? (2011)
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  ConTEXt reference manual 2001 – Complete, but never up-to-date, cleaned-up. (2001)
• 
  Tagged PDF (2025)
• 
  Standards (2025)
• 
  Signals (2025)
• 
  Signals – macos (2025)
• 
  Luatools mtxrun for ContTeXt (2020)
• 
  L2R R2L – a few tips (2019)
• 
  Workflows support in ConTeXt - MkIV and LuaTeX features for efficiency (2019)
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  Tip Trick (mtxrun command) (2018)
• 
  Steps – ConTeXt XML (2017)
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  Languages in ConTEXt – explaining luatex and mkiv (2016)
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  Dealing with XML in ConTeXt MkIV (2016)
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  XML/Lua templates (2016)
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  Exporting XML and ePub from Context (2015)
• 
  Scite in Context MkIV : editor setup (2011)
• 
  Modes – Modes are used for conditionnal processing (screen, A4, letter…) (2008, mkii)
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  Directory Trees (2004, mkii)
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  Figures – ConTeXt XML (2001, mkii)
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  Column sets (2024)
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  Spacing in ConTeXt – Line spacing, line correction in grid typesetting (2018)
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  Pages Columns (2017)
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  In the details. Hints: grid typesetting, columns, backgrounds, graphics issues, formula tuning (2015)
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  Typographic Programming - TeX thinking, line-breaking, protrusion,… (2004, mkii)
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  Coloring ConTeXt – explaining luatex and mkiv (2016)
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  Colors separation (2002, mkii)
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  Rules – rules bounded to the typeset text (2022)
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  Fonts out of ConTeXt – Almost everything about Fonts, processing and use (2016)
• 
  Interactivity (2018)
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  Bibliographies the ConTeXt way (2017)
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  Widgets uncovered - Form elements, cross references, JavaScript in PDF (2001, mkii)
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  LuaMetaFun (or Metafun xl) (2025)
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  PDF - merging, embedding, fixing and messing a bit around in context lmtx (2024)
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  SVG in ConTeXt and metafun xl (2019)
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  Graphics - integrating graphics in your document (2018)
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  Nodes – Diagrams, graphical representations of relations, processes… (2018)
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  Metafun - For graphics, MetaPost is embedded – paper (2017)
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  Metafun - For graphics, MetaPost is embedded – screen (2017)
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  Flowcharts (2016)
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  Charts uncovered (1999, mkii)
• 
  Natural Tables in ConTEXt – Examples (2024)
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  Extreme Tables in ConTeXt MkIV (2018)
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  Simple Spreadsheets in ConTeXt MkIV (2016)
• 
  Meaningfull Math in ConTEXt - Examples (2025)
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  Mathematics in ConTEXt – paper (2025)
• 
  Mathematics in ConTEXt – screen (2025)
• 
  Math rendering (2018)
• 
  MathML in ConTeXt – Examples (2016)
• 
  MathML (2015)
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  Units - SI units support (2015)
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  MathML – ConTeXt XML (how to invoke mathml, addendum of mathml) (2001, mkii)
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  PhysML – ConTeXt XML (2001, mkii)
• 
  PPCHTeX - typesetting chemistry in ConTeXt LMTX (2025)
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  PPCHTeX - macros for typesetting chemical structures (2001, mkii)
• 
  ChemML – ConTeXt XML (2001)
• 
  LuaMetaTeX Reference Manual (2025)
• 
  SQL in ConTeXt (2023)
• 
  ConTeXt Lua Documents (2023)
• 
  LuaTeX Reference Manual (2020)
• 
  ECMA SCRIPT in context lmtx - using the optional mujs library (2020)
• 
  Libraries – Basics (2020)
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  TeX iT (2018)
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  Lua - the ConTeXt libraries (2016)
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  SWIGlib – Basics : use external libraries (2016)
• 
  9- More to come (2025)
• 
  8- Beyond luametatex & context lmtx (2025)
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  7- On target - luametatex & context lmtx (2023)
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  6.5- ConTeXt Musing (2023)
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  6- Even More – fun with luametatex and context (2020)
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  5.5- Not Now (2018)
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  5- Following up (current working report) (2025)
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  4.5- On and on (2022)
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  4- Still going on (2016)
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  3- About LuaTeX and ConTeXt in 2015 (2015)
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  2- MkIV Hybrid Technology - How LuaTeX combines TeX, MetaPost, Lua and XML (2012)
• 
  1- Context MarkII MarkIV - The history of LuaTeX 2006–2009 (2016)
• 
  0- Read Me first (2016)
• 
  Low Level Tex – Characters (2025)
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  Low Level Tex – Conditionals (2025)
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  Low Level Tex (2025)
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  Low Level Tex – Debugging (2025)
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  Low Level Tex – Pages (2025)
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  Low Level Tex – Alignements (2024)
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  Low Level Tex – Macros (2024)
• 
  Low Level Tex – Paragraphs (2024)
• 
  Low Level Tex – Balancing (2024)
• 
  Low Level Tex – Accuracy (2023)
• 
  Low Level Tex – Boxes (2023)
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  Low Level Tex – Buffers (2023)
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  Low Level Tex – Lines (2023)
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  Low Level Tex – Localboxes (2023)
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  Low Level Tex – Loops (2023)
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  Low Level Tex – Registers (2023)
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  Low Level Tex – Tokens (2023)
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  Low Level Tex – Inserts (2021)
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  Low Level Tex – Marks (2021)
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  Low Level Tex – Scope (2021)
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  Low Level Tex – Grouping (2020)
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  Low Level Tex – Security (2020)
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  Low Level Tex – Expansion (2019)
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  It can be done (2024)
• 
  Typesetting in columns (2025)
• 
  MetaPost news (2024)
• 
  Breaking lines and pages (2024)

Deprecated manuals

• 
  TEXMF Start (2006)
• 
  Hyphenation patterns (2005)
• 
  Preprocessing Source Files & Manipulating Graphic Resources (2005)
• 
  Just an XML FO engine (2004)
• 
  Weaving PS into PDF (2003)
• 
  Chinese in Context (2001)
• 
  XML in ConTeXt (MkII) (2001)
• 
  How to install Context (2001)
• 
  TeXEXEC explained (2001)
• 
  TeXUTIL (2001)
• 
  TeXwork (2001)
• 
  Correspondence with ConTEXt (2010)
• 
  Columns (2003)
• 
  Correspondence (2003)
• 
  Fonts chapter (2005)
• 
  Fonts in Context (2005)
• 
  TexFont explained (2001)
• 
  Labels : Adding Text to Graphics (2002)
• 
  Creating MetaPost outlines (2001)
• 
  Math tweaks (2022)
• 
  ConTeXt rehab for amsmath addicts (2006)

Remarks

• To save time of developers, please, read the manuals before you start asking questions at the mailing list .
• Most of the manuals are available in the ConTeXt distribution , and on the mirrors like bitbucket.org or GitHub , with their sources ,
• An other overview is also available at Pragma-Ade website , with an interactive PDF as the Manuals Gallery ,
• Henri Menke also gathers and comments this precious material at The definitive guide to ConTeXt MkIV documentation .