How are elements and attributes defined in DITA XML?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

In DITA XML, elements and attributes are defined to create structured and semantically meaningful content.

Elements in DITA XML:

Definition: Elements are the fundamental building blocks of DITA XML documents. Each element represents a specific type of content, such as paragraphs, headings, lists, tables, and more.

Purpose: Elements define the structure and organization of the content within a DITA topic. They give meaning and context to the content.

Usage: Elements are used to format and structure the content within the <body> of a DITA topic. They indicate the type of content and its role within the document.

Attributes in DITA XML:

Definition: Attributes are properties or characteristics associated with DITA elements. They provide additional information about the element, such as metadata or specific formatting instructions.

Purpose: Attributes add context and metadata to elements, making content more informative and enabling content management and customization.

Usage: Attributes are specified within element tags and are used to convey information about the content. They are often used to capture metadata, audience information, conditional processing, or customization instructions.

Example:

This DITA document represents a product description. It contains a simple DITA element (<p> for paragraphs) with attributes:


<productDescription audience="customers" status="published">
    <title>Product Features</title>
    <body>
        <p>Introducing our latest product, the XYZ Widget.</p>
        <p>This widget offers the following features:</p>
        <ul>
            <li>High-resolution display</li>
            <li>Wireless connectivity</li>
            <li>Long-lasting battery</li>
        </ul>
    </body>
</productDescription>

In this example, <productDescription> is the root element, indicating the start of a DITA topic.

<p> and <ul> are DITA elements used to structure the content.

The audience attribute specifies that this content is intended for “customers.”

The status attribute indicates that the content is “published.”