Word / Docx

Structure

• DOCX is a ZIP containing XML files—word/document.xml has main content, word/styles.xml has styles
• Text splits into runs (<w:r>)—each run has uniform formatting; one word may span multiple runs
• Paragraphs (<w:p>) contain runs—never assume one paragraph = one text block
• Sections control page layout—headers/footers, margins, orientation are per-section

Styles vs Direct Formatting

• Styles (Heading 1, Normal) are named and reusable—direct formatting is inline and overrides style
• Removing direct formatting reveals underlying style—useful for cleanup
• Character styles apply to runs, paragraph styles to paragraphs—they layer together
• Linked styles can be both—applying to paragraph or selected text behaves differently

Lists & Numbering