In the context of DITA specialization, “domains” refer to specific industries, subject areas, or specialized knowledge areas to which the DITA content is tailored. The significance of domains in DITA specialization lies in their role in defining the scope and focus of specialized content. Domains help categorize content into distinct areas of expertise and ensure that the specialization is aligned with the needs of a particular domain.

DITA specialization for different domains involves creating custom elements, attributes, and constraints that are relevant to that domain. This ensures that the content is structured in a way that is semantically meaningful and suitable for the domain’s requirements. Domains guide the specialization process, helping content creators identify the unique elements, attributes, and constraints necessary for effective content representation.

Example:

Consider a scenario where a DITA specialization is created for the healthcare domain. In this case, the “healthcare” domain is significant because it defines the scope of the specialization. Specialized elements like <medical-procedure> or attributes like @patient-condition are specific to the healthcare domain. The domain provides guidance on what elements and attributes are relevant for healthcare documentation.