Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) is a specification that defines a set of document types for creating content and organizing topic-oriented information. It is also a set of tools for combining, extending, and constraining document types. DITA is an open standard defined and maintained by a committee known as the OASIS DITA Technical Committee.
Creating content in DITA
DITA map and topic documents are XML (eXtensible Markup Language) files. As with HTML, any images, video files, or other files that must appear in the output are inserted via reference. Content authors use XML editors, and sometimes text editors when writing DITA content, depending on the level of features required while authoring. Specialized editors include features such as WYSIWYG preview display, XML validation, and integration with a DITA processor.
Publishing content written in DITA
DITA is designed as an end-to-end architecture. It indicates the elements, attributes, and rules that are part of the DITA language, and the DITA specification includes rules for publishing DITA content in HTML, Online Help, Print, Content Delivery Platform, and other formats.
Some of the key features of DITA are:
- Content reuse: Topics are the foundation for content reuse and can be reused across multiple publications. Portions of content inside of topics can be reused by content references (conref or conkeyref), which is known as a “transclusion” mechanism.
- Information typing: The latest version of DITA includes five specialized topic types:
- Task
- Concept
- Reference
- Glossary Entry &
- Troubleshooting
Each of these five topic types is a specialization of a generic Topic type, which contains a title element, a prolog element for metadata, and a body element. The body element contains a paragraph, table, and list elements, like HTML.
A Task topic is intended for a procedure that describes how to accomplish a task. It lists a series of steps that users follow to produce an intended outcome. Steps are contained in the taskbody element, which is a specialization of the generic body element. The steps element is a type of ordered list element.
Concept information is more objective, containing definitions, rules, and guidelines.
A Reference topic is used for topics that describe command syntax, programming instructions, and other reference material. A Reference topic usually contains detailed, factual material.
A Glossary Entry topic is used for defining a single sense of a given term. In addition to identifying the term and providing a definition, this topic type might also have basic terminology information, along with any acronyms or acronym expansions that may apply to the term.
The Troubleshooting topic describes a condition that the reader may want to correct, followed by one or more descriptions of its cause and suggested remedies.
- Maps: A DITA map is a container for topics used to transform a collection of content into a publication. It gives the topics' sequence and structure. A DITA map can include relationship tables (reltables) that can define hyperlinks between topics. Maps can be nested. Maps can reference topics or other maps and can contain a variety of content types and metadata.
- Metadata: DITA includes extensive metadata elements and attributes, both at the topic level and within elements. Conditional text allows filtering or styling content based on attributes for the audience, platform, product, and other properties. The conditional processing profile is used to identify which values are to be used for conditional processing.
- Specialization: DITA allows adding new elements and attributes through specialization of base DITA elements and attributes. Because of its specialization, DITA often accommodates new topic types, element types, and attributes as needed for specific company needs.
