While DITA allows nesting of lists within table cells, there can be limitations when it comes to the complexity and depth of nested lists. These limitations are primarily related to maintaining readability and usability, as overly complex nesting can make content harder to understand.

When nesting lists in DITA, especially in tables, it’s important to be mindful of readability, usability, and export and styling.

Considerations for Nesting Lists

Readability

Excessive nesting of lists can lead to reduced readability. It’s crucial to strike a balance between structuring content and keeping it user-friendly. Overly deep nesting can overwhelm readers.

Usability

Complex nesting may affect the usability of the content. Readers may find it challenging to navigate and comprehend deeply nested lists.

Export and Styling

Depending on the rendering or publishing platform, deeply nested lists may not display as intended. It’s important to test the output to ensure it maintains the desired formatting and readability.

Example

<entry>
    <ol>
      <li>Main Item 1
        <ul>
          <li>Sub-Item 1.1</li>
          <li>Sub-Item 1.2</li>
        </ul>
      </li>
      <li>Main Item 2
        <ol>
          <li>Nested List in a Different Style 2.1</li>
          <li>Nested List in a Different Style 2.2
            <ul>
              <li>Deeper Nesting 2.2.1</li>
              <li>Deeper Nesting 2.2.2</li>
            </ul>
          </li>
        </ol>
      </li>
    </ol>
  </entry>

In this example, there’s a combination of ordered and unordered lists, and nesting is done with varying levels. While this provides structured content, it’s essential to keep nested lists reasonably shallow to ensure readability and usability.