# Choose tools and formats

The decisions that shape everything else: which source format to write in, which target formats to publish to, and which tools actually pay for themselves.

  - [**Source format**](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/source-format/): Choosing what you write in — the decision that determines your entire toolchain.
  - [**Target format**](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tech-writing-process/target-format/): Choosing what you publish to, and why it doesn
  - [**Formats and tools**](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/costs/formats-and-tools/): Why the format matters more than the tool — and how to evaluate tooling costs.
  - [**Is an index useful in a PDF?**](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/costs/index-in-pdf/): A concrete example of a format-driven trade-off decision.

Ready to commit to DITA and structured authoring? See [structured authoring](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/structured-authoring/). Comparing docs-as-code toolchains? See [adopting docs-as-code](https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/docs-as-code/).

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Source: https://docs.redaction-technique.org/en/tools-and-formats/