formatami

Formatami is a term used to describe a family of cross-platform document formatting specifications designed to separate content from presentation. It defines a declarative format for describing document structure, typography, and layout, enabling consistent rendering across devices and media, including web, print, and e-book contexts.

Origin and development of Formatami trace to early 2020s speculative and experimental writings that sought to address inconsistencies among word processors, browsers, and reader software. Advocates proposed a unified, open standard that could be implemented by multiple rendering engines, with an emphasis on portability and accessibility. While not universally adopted, the concept influenced several open-source projects exploring declarative document formats.

Technical overview of the Formatami approach centers on a document tree composed of blocks and containers, described by a Formatami Markup (FM) language. FM documents declare content hierarchy, styles, and templates using a schema that supports inheritance and reuse. Rendering engines translate FM into multiple target formats such as HTML, PDF, and ePub, applying responsive typography and layout rules. The system is designed to be extensible through plugins and to accommodate localization, accessibility features, and versioning.

Usage and reception have been mixed in practice. Proponents highlight predictable typography, cross-platform consistency, and easier style management for large publishing pipelines. Critics point to limited real-world adoption, potential fragmentation, and the challenge of achieving consensus in an open standard landscape. Overall, Formatami remains a conceptual framework with occasional experimental implementations rather than a widely adopted standard.

See also: Document formatting, CSS, LaTeX, XSL-FO, ePub.