The <author> element in DITA metadata serves the purpose of capturing and identifying the individuals or entities responsible for creating or contributing to a document. It is an essential part of the metadata information that helps document consumers and content management systems to understand the origin of the content and the people involved in its development.

Author Identification

The primary role of the <author> element is to provide information about the authors of the content. This includes their names, contact information, and roles in the document’s creation process. By including author details, it becomes easier to credit the contributors and establish a communication channel for users who may have questions or feedback about the document.

Example:

Here’s an example of how the <author> element is used in DITA XML:

<metadata>
  <author>
    <personname>
      <firstname>John</firstname>
      <lastname>Doe</lastname>
    </personname>
    <email>[email protected]</email>
    <affiliation>Acme Inc.</affiliation>
  </author>
</metadata>

In this example, the <author> element contains information about the author, including their name, email, and affiliation. This metadata provides transparency and accountability regarding the document’s creators, which can be valuable for users and organizations that rely on the content.