<metadata>: How do you use the <metadata> element to define structured metadata about a DITA topic, such as authorship or revision history?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

The <metadata> element in DITA XML is used to define structured metadata about a DITA topic, providing essential information such as authorship, revision history, and other details that help in managing and understanding the content. Metadata is crucial for categorizing, organizing, and maintaining topics effectively.

Defining Authorship

One common use of the <metadata> element is to specify the authorship of a DITA topic. This helps identify the individual or team responsible for creating the content. Here’s an example:


<topic>
  <metadata>
    <author>John Doe</author>
    <author>Jane Smith</author>
  </metadata>
  <title>Product User Guide</title>
  <body>
    <p>This user guide provides instructions for using our product.</p>
    <!-- Content goes here -->
  </body>

In this example, the <metadata> element includes the names of authors, John Doe and Jane Smith, who contributed to the topic’s creation.

Revision History

Another important aspect of metadata is maintaining a revision history. This helps track changes made to a topic over time. Here’s an example:


<topic>
  <metadata>
    <revision>
      <revnumber>1.0</revnumber>
      <date>2023-05-15</date>
      <author>John Doe</author>
      <changes>Initial release</changes>
    </revision>
    <revision>
      <revnumber>1.1</revnumber>
      <date>2023-06-30</date>
      <author>Jane Smith</author>
      <changes>Updated instructions</changes>
    </revision>
  </metadata>
  <title>Product User Guide</title>
  <body>
    <p>This user guide provides instructions for using our product.</p>
    <!-- Content goes here -->
  </body>

In this case, the <metadata> element includes a revision history with details such as revision numbers, dates, authors, and descriptions of changes made to the topic.