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Olivier CarrèreTechnical writing practice

DITA XML

Documentation pages on DITA XML (10 pages).

This topic brings together 10 pages across the manual:

6 Concepts2 Tasks2 References

  • Auto-insert data into a DITA XML file

    Task

    Learning path: 6. Automation & legacy techniquesPython

    Automate DITA XML file generation with Python: dynamically insert product data into DITA topics to industrialize technical documentation.

  • Case studies in using DITA XML

    Concept

    Learning path: 4. Choose an authoring modelDITA

    Practical DITA XML solutions and tips developed through daily multilingual technical writing projects - structured authoring, topic reuse, conditional text, and publishing.

  • Case study: NuFirewall documentation

    Reference

    Learning path: 4. Choose an authoring modelDITA

    NuFirewall's documentation, praised by the press as a product strength, was built with DITA XML - a case study in structured authoring for software product documentation.

  • Checklist: documentation migration

    Reference

    Learning path: 5. Build your toolkitChecklists

    A checklist for migrating documentation between formats or platforms without losing content, breaking URLs, or degrading structure - based on a real DITA XML migration.

  • DITA XML and XSL-FO tutorials

    Task

    Learning path: 6. Automation & legacy techniques

    DITA XML structured authoring tutorials and XSL-FO stylesheet guides: create topic-based documentation and apply professional layouts for PDF and print output.

  • Formats and tools

    Concept

    Learning path: 4. Choose an authoring modelSource vs target formats

    When industrializing technical writing, the format matters more than the tool. Compare proprietary formats like Word and FrameMaker against open standards like DITA XML and DocBook to find the right fit.

  • From document to modular document base

    Concept

    Learning path: 4. Choose an authoring model

    DITA XML structured authoring moves documentation from monolithic books to a modular content base, enabling topic reuse, efficient translation, and multichannel output.

  • Information types

    Concept

    Learning path: 1. Understand documentation

    Understand information typing in technical documentation: how Concept, Task, and Reference divide content by reader intent, and how this relates to DITA, Markdown, and OpenAPI.

  • Structured and unstructured formats

    Concept

    Learning path: 4. Choose an authoring modelStructured authoring

    Compare structured formats (DITA XML, DocBook) and unstructured formats (Word, PDF) for technical documentation: understand the trade-offs for reuse and translation.

  • Too complex a document architecture?

    Concept

    Learning path: 4. Choose an authoring modelDITA

    DITA XML enables productivity gains by reducing the source volume that the technical writer creates, translates and maintains, at the cost of greater complexity.

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