diff --git a/autotests/syntaxrepository_test.cpp b/autotests/syntaxrepository_test.cpp
--- a/autotests/syntaxrepository_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/syntaxrepository_test.cpp
@@ -148,6 +148,25 @@
         QCOMPARE(def.foldingIgnoreList(), QStringList() << QLatin1String("(?:\\s+|\\s*#.*)"));
     }
 
+    void testFormatData()
+    {
+        auto def = m_repo.definitionForName(QLatin1String("ChangeLog"));
+        QVERIFY(def.isValid());
+        auto formats = def.formats();
+        QVERIFY(!formats.isEmpty());
+
+        QStringList formatNames;
+        foreach (const auto & format, formats) {
+            formatNames.append(format.name());
+        }
+        QVERIFY(formatNames.contains(QStringLiteral("Normal Text")));
+        QVERIFY(formatNames.contains(QStringLiteral("Name")));
+        QVERIFY(formatNames.contains(QStringLiteral("E-Mail")));
+        QVERIFY(formatNames.contains(QStringLiteral("Date")));
+        QVERIFY(formatNames.contains(QStringLiteral("Entry")));
+        QVERIFY(!formatNames.contains(QStringLiteral("Does not Exist")));
+    }
+
     void testReload()
     {
         auto def = m_repo.definitionForName(QLatin1String("QML"));
diff --git a/src/lib/definition.h b/src/lib/definition.h
--- a/src/lib/definition.h
+++ b/src/lib/definition.h
@@ -172,6 +172,11 @@
      */
     QStringList foldingIgnoreList() const;
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a list of all Format items used by this definition.
+     */
+    QVector<Format> formats() const;
+
 private:
     friend class DefinitionData;
     friend class DefinitionRef;
diff --git a/src/lib/definition.cpp b/src/lib/definition.cpp
--- a/src/lib/definition.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/definition.cpp
@@ -186,6 +186,12 @@
     return d->foldingIgnoreList;
 }
 
+QVector<Format> Definition::formats() const
+{
+    d->load();
+    return QVector<Format>::fromList(d->formats.values());
+}
+
 Context* DefinitionData::initialContext() const
 {
     Q_ASSERT(!contexts.isEmpty());
diff --git a/src/lib/repository.h b/src/lib/repository.h
--- a/src/lib/repository.h
+++ b/src/lib/repository.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 class Definition;
 class RepositoryPrivate;
 class Theme;
+class Format;
 
 /**
  * @brief Syntax highlighting repository.
diff --git a/src/lib/repository.cpp b/src/lib/repository.cpp
--- a/src/lib/repository.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/repository.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "definition_p.h"
 #include "theme.h"
 #include "themedata_p.h"
+#include "format.h"
 #include "ksyntaxhighlighting_logging.h"
 #include "wildcardmatcher_p.h"
 
diff --git a/src/lib/repository_p.h b/src/lib/repository_p.h
--- a/src/lib/repository_p.h
+++ b/src/lib/repository_p.h
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 
     quint16 foldingRegionId(const QString &defName, const QString &foldName);
     quint16 nextFormatId();
+    void registerFormat(Format & format);
+    Format formatFromId(quint16 id) const;
 
     QVector<QString> m_customSearchPaths;
 
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@
     QHash<QPair<QString, QString>, quint16> m_foldingRegionIds;
     quint16 m_foldingRegionId;
     quint16 m_formatId;
+    QHash<quint16, Format> m_formatIds;
 };
 }