What does a DITA XML file typically contain?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

A DITA file typically contains structured and modular content designed for technical documentation. It adheres to the DITA XML syntax and is organized into discrete topics, each focusing on specific subjects or tasks. The major components of a DITA file are the document type declaration, root element, title element, body content, metadata, and specialization (if applicable).

Document Type Declaration (DOCTYPE)

A DITA file begins with a DOCTYPE declaration specifying the document type and its associated Document Type Definition (DTD) or schema. This declaration defines the rules and structure for the XML document. For example:

<!DOCTYPE topic PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DITA Topic//EN" "topic.dtd">

In this example, “topic” is the DITA document type, and the “-//OASIS//DTD DITA Topic//EN” string indicates the public identifier for the DTD.

Root Element (e.g., <topic>)

The root element defines the beginning of a DITA topic. It encapsulates the entire content of the topic. The element name can vary depending on the specific DITA specialization or document type being used.


        <topic id="sample-topic">
            <!-- Content goes here -->
        </topic>

In this example, <topic> is the root element, and “sample-topic” is an identifier for the topic.

Title Element (e.g., <title>)

The title element is used to specify the title or heading of the DITA topic. It provides a brief description of the topic’s content.

<title>This is a Sample DITA Topic</title>

Body Content

The body of the DITA topic contains the main content, including text, images, lists, tables, and other elements. Authors use various DITA elements to structure and format the content according to the topic’s purpose.


        <body>
            <p>This is the content of the DITA topic. It can include text, lists, tables, and more.</p>
            <ul>
                <li>Item 1</li>
                <li>Item 2</li>
            </ul>
        </body>

Metadata

DITA allows the inclusion of metadata elements to provide additional information about the content, such as authorship, version, audience, and more. Metadata helps with content management and retrieval.


        <metadata>
            <author>John Doe</author>
            <audience>Technical Writers</audience>
        </metadata>

Specialization

Depending on the organization’s needs, DITA files may incorporate specialized elements and attributes specific to their domain or industry. Specialization extends the capabilities of DITA to meet particular documentation requirements.


        <custom-element attribute="custom-value">Custom content goes here</custom-element>

DITA files are designed to be highly modular and reusable, allowing content authors to create a consistent and structured body of technical documentation. The structure and elements used within a DITA file can vary based on the specific document type and organization’s content strategy.