Manuscript vs. Codex — What's the Difference?

A handwritten document, often of a historical or literary nature.

A historical precursor to the modern book.

Any document written by hand.

A bound volume of papyrus, parchment, or paper.

A book draft before it is typeset and printed.

An ancient manuscript text in book form.

A preliminary version of a piece of writing.

An early collection of laws or regulations.

A handwritten score of musical composition.

Any book with traditional binding, particularly in ancient or medieval contexts.

A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has come to be understood to further include any written, typed, or word-processed copy of an author's work, as distinguished from its rendition as a printed version of the same.

The codex (plural codices () was the historical ancestor of the modern book. Instead of being composed of sheets of paper, it used sheets of vellum, papyrus, or other materials.

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed

A manuscript volume, especially of a classic work or of the Scriptures.

A handwritten book, poem, or other document, or a collection of such handwritten documents bound together

An early manuscript book.

A version of a book, article, or other work before being published or prepared for publication

A book bound in the modern manner, by joining pages, as opposed to a rolled scroll.

Handwriting, especially in contrast to print

An official list of medicines and medicinal ingredients.

Handwritten, or by extension manually typewritten, as opposed to being mechanically reproduced.

A book; a manuscript.

A book, composition or any other document, written by hand (or manually typewritten), not mechanically reproduced.

A collection or digest of laws; a code.

A single, original copy of a book, article, composition etc, written by hand or even printed, submitted as original for (copy-editing and) reproductive publication.

An ancient manuscript of the Sacred Scriptures, or any part of them, particularly the New Testament.

Written with or by the hand; not printed; as, a manuscript volume.

A collection of canons.

An original literary or musical composition written by the author, formerly with the hand, now usually by typewriter or word processor. It is contrasted with a printed copy.

An official list of chemicals or medicines etc.

Writing, as opposed to print; as, the book exists only in manuscript.

An unbound manuscript of some ancient classic (as distinguished from a scroll)

The form of a literary work submitted for publication

Handwritten book or document

Manuscripts were made from materials like papyrus, vellum, or paper, whereas codices were typically made from vellum or parchment.

A manuscript is any document that is handwritten, often predating the widespread use of printing.

The codex was preferred for its ease of use, portability, and more efficient access to information.

Both could contain a variety of texts, but codices were particularly popular for religious and scholarly works due to their format.

Yes, all codices are manuscripts, but not all manuscripts are codices; the term codex implies a book-like format.

The transition began in the late antique period and continued into the early medieval period.

A codex is an ancient manuscript book, composed of bound pages, much like the books we use today.

A manuscript refers broadly to any handwritten document, while a codex is a specific type of manuscript that has pages and is bound.

Both were laboriously handcrafted, but codices involved additional steps for binding.

Codices provide crucial insights into the book production, culture, and knowledge dissemination of ancient and medieval times.

Codices played a critical role in preserving texts, especially as they transitioned from oral to written culture.

While not common, manuscripts are still produced for specific artistic or cultural purposes.

Manuscripts are characterized by their unique handwriting, material diversity, and often, historical content.

Codices were often preserved in religious or academic institutions, which helped safeguard them through the centuries.

Studying these materials helps researchers understand historical literacy, bookmaking technologies, and cultural shifts in information handling.