The MIME type text/richtext is used to denote the presence of a text file formatted in the rich text format. This MIME type falls within the category "text".

The "richtext" format is a subtype of "text". It was created to make operating on formatted text much simpler. It was meant to be a set standard that would promote wide usage. The richtext subtype has a few criterions that it must meet.

The richtext first of all had to be extremely simple to parse. This was done so that even older mail systems could easily produce the plain text after doing away with all the formatting. The system was also meant to extensible so that newer formatting commands could be introduced wherever deemed necessary.

The subtype"s representation capabilities were limited so that it is representable by the recipient"s primary word processor. The idea was that that even though it would mean less could sent, it would also mean that whatever was sent would be fully viewable by all likely recipients.

The syntax was made to be SGML compatible so that a general SGML parser could be used to parse the richtext using a standard DTD (the Document Type Definition mechanism used for SGML).