.org File — Emacs Org Mode

ORG files use the Org mode format, a powerful plain-text system for note-taking, project management, task tracking, and document authoring within the GNU Emacs editor. Created by Carsten Dominik in 2003, Org mode has grown into one of the most comprehensive personal information management systems available. ORG files use a simple yet extensible syntax with asterisks for headings, hyphens for lists, and special keywords for task states, priorities, tags, and timestamps. The format supports literate programming with embedded executable code blocks in dozens of programming languages, making it popular for reproducible research and data science. Org mode includes a built-in spreadsheet, time tracking system, agenda views, capture templates, and sophisticated export capabilities to HTML, LaTeX, PDF, ODT, and Markdown. The format's plain-text nature ensures long-term accessibility and compatibility with version control systems. Org mode has inspired similar features in other editors and spawned standalone parsers in multiple programming languages.