Creating links to external references and citations in DITA XML is a straightforward process, allowing you to seamlessly integrate external sources or citations into your technical documentation. The primary element for creating such links is the <xref> element. It enables you to establish links to external content by specifying the target URL or location using the href attribute. Additionally, you can provide a title or label for the link to make it meaningful and informative for your readers.

Here’s an example of the syntax for creating links to external references and citations using the <xref> element:

<p>For further information, please refer to the <xref href="https://www.example-source.com/document.pdf" scope="external">external document</xref>.</p>

In this example, the <xref> element is used to link to an external PDF document located at “https://www.example-source.com/document.pdf.” The text “external document” serves as the label for the link, and users can click on it to access the external source or citation.