Plain Text vs Rich Text Format

Developers should use plain text for configuration files, source code, logs, and data exchange where human readability and cross-platform compatibility are critical, such as in meets developers should learn rtf when working with document processing, text editors, or applications that need to export or import formatted text across different platforms or software versions. Here's our take.

Plain Text

Nice Pick

Developers should use plain text for configuration files, source code, logs, and data exchange where human readability and cross-platform compatibility are critical, such as in

Pros

• txt,
• Related to: ascii-encoding, utf-8

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Rich Text Format

Developers should learn RTF when working with document processing, text editors, or applications that need to export or import formatted text across different platforms or software versions

Pros

• It is particularly useful for generating reports, creating formatted text in applications without full word processing capabilities, or ensuring compatibility in legacy systems where simple formatting is required
• Related to: document-processing, text-editing

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Plain Text is a concept while Rich Text Format is a tool. We picked Plain Text based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Plain Text wins

Based on overall popularity. Plain Text is more widely used, but Rich Text Format excels in its own space.