Quarto
Open-source scientific publishing system from Markdown plus Python, R, or Julia.
About
Quarto is an open-source scientific and technical publishing system developed by Posit PBC (formerly RStudio), released in July 2022 as the successor to R Markdown. Built on Pandoc, it weaves narrative Markdown together with executable code in Python, R, Julia, and Observable JavaScript, rendering to PDF, HTML, Word, PowerPoint, ePub, RevealJS slides, websites, and books.
Code chunks execute during rendering, so figures and tables always reflect the latest data, and built-in citation management with BibTeX/CSL handles references. In April 2026 Posit announced Quarto 2, a full rewrite in Rust planned for late 2026 with a collaborative editor and faster source tracking, intended to stay backward compatible with Quarto 1 documents.
What it can do
- Publish Markdown plus executable code to PDF, HTML, Word, and slides
- Multi-language support: Python, R, Julia, Observable JS
- Project system for websites, books, and blogs
- Built-in citations, cross-references, and callouts
Setup
Download the Quarto CLI installer for your OS or install via package manager.
Prerequisites
A text editor or IDE; Python, R, or Julia only if you embed executable code.
Use cases
Works with
Trust score — 7/10
Scored 7/10 (metrics tier, metrics-v1). Evidence: Verified via vendor site/docs/GitHub and reputable coverage, wave 86; Trending score 74/100 from researcher assessment.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these sources. Where a claim comes from the provider and couldn't be independently verified, the text says so.