How are links to related topics and content handled during content localization in DITA?

Handling links to related topics and content during content localization in DITA is a critical aspect of ensuring that your documentation remains coherent and user-friendly across different languages and regions. When localizing DITA content, it’s essential to maintain the relationships between topics and associated links to keep the user experience consistent. Proper localization not only involves translating the content but also addressing links to related content, which can be crucial for your users.

Here’s an example of how links to related topics and content can be managed during DITA content localization:


<topicref href="topic1.dita">
  <topicmeta>
    <keywords>DITA, Localization, Related Content</keywords>
  </topicmeta>
  <related-links>
    <link-group keys="related-topics">Related Topics</link-group>
    <link href="related-topic1.dita">Related Topic 1</link>
    <link href="related-topic2.dita">Related Topic 2</link>
  </related-links>
</topicref>

In this example, the topicref element references the main topic (topic1.dita) and includes keywords to guide the localization process. To handle links to related topics, you can ensure that the translated content includes corresponding links to the localized versions of related topics (e.g., related-topic1.dita and related-topic2.dita). Maintaining the structure and relationships of these links during content localization is essential for preserving the integrity of your DITA documentation.