The <indexterm> element in DITA is used to mark terms or phrases for inclusion in an index. It plays a crucial role in creating an organized and navigable index of terms and topics within your DITA content. By using <indexterm>, you specify which terms should appear in the index, allowing readers to find relevant information quickly.

When to Use <indexterm>

You should use the <indexterm> element whenever you want to include a specific term or phrase in the index. This is typically done for terms that are important, significant, or likely to be of interest to readers. The <indexterm> element serves as a marker that tells the DITA processor to include the marked term in the generated index.

How to Use <indexterm>

To mark a term for inclusion in the index, wrap the term or phrase with the <indexterm> element in your DITA content. Here’s an example:

This is an example of using the <indexterm> element to mark a term for inclusion in the index.

In this example, the term “indexterm” is enclosed within the <indexterm> element, indicating that it should be included in the index. You can place <indexterm> elements around terms wherever they appear in your content to ensure they are properly indexed.