The <image> element in DITA XML allows you to embed or reference images and graphics within the content of a DITA topic, enhancing the visual appeal and explanatory power of your documentation.

Embedding Images

To embed an image using the <image> element, you can use the “content” element to specify the binary content of the image. You can also include attributes such as “width” and “height” to control the image’s display size within your topic. Here’s an example:

<image href="images/my_image.png" width="300" height="200" />

In this example, the <image> element embeds an image with the source file “my_image.png” and sets its width and height attributes to control the display size.

Referencing Images

If you prefer to reference images stored externally, you can use the “href” attribute to specify the URL or file path to the image. Referenced images can be hosted on your server or be external resources. Here’s an example:

<image href="https://example.com/images/logo.png" />

This <image> element references an image from an external URL, allowing you to include images hosted elsewhere in your documentation.