Explainer
DITA Topic Types: Concept, Task, Reference, and More
The Idea
Information Typing
DITA, the Darwin Information Typing Architecture, asks authors to decide what kind of information they are writing before they write it. A procedure is a task, an explanation is a concept, a table of settings is reference. Each type has a content model that fits its job, so every task in a library has the same shape, and tools can rely on it.
The types below are the ones DITA 1.3, the current approved standard, defines in its technical content package. The XML examples are illustrative, written to the DITA 1.3 models, and trimmed to the essentials.
What is it?
The concept Topic
Background a reader needs before they can work with a product: what something is, how it works, why it matters. Concept topics explain; they do not instruct.
<concept id="air-filter">
<title>The air filter</title>
<conbody>
<p>The air filter removes particles from intake air
before it reaches the compressor.</p>
</conbody>
</concept>How do I do it?
The task Topic
Step-by-step instructions. Since DITA 1.2 there are two models: the general task, which allows sections and informal steps in a flexible order, and the strict task, which keeps the original fixed structure through a constraint.
<task id="replace-filter">
<title>Replacing the air filter</title>
<taskbody>
<prereq><p>Shut down the unit and let it cool.</p></prereq>
<steps>
<step><cmd>Remove the filter cover.</cmd></step>
<step><cmd>Install the new filter.</cmd></step>
</steps>
<result><p>The unit is ready to restart.</p></result>
</taskbody>
</task>What are the facts?
The reference Topic
Facts for quick lookup: specifications, settings, parts, commands. Reference topics give fast access to facts, not a deeper explanation of them.
<reference id="filter-specs">
<title>Air filter specifications</title>
<refbody>
<properties>
<property><proptype>Part number</proptype><propvalue>AF-3000</propvalue></property>
<property><proptype>Service interval</proptype><propvalue>500 hours</propvalue></property>
</properties>
</refbody>
</reference>What is wrong, and how do I fix it?
The troubleshooting Topic
Added in DITA 1.3: a description of a condition, followed by one or more cause and remedy pairs. It suits fault finding and support content.
<troubleshooting id="low-airflow">
<title>Low airflow</title>
<troublebody>
<condition><p>Airflow is below the rated value.</p></condition>
<troubleSolution>
<cause><p>The air filter is blocked.</p></cause>
<remedy><steps><step><cmd>Replace the air filter.</cmd></step></steps></remedy>
</troubleSolution>
</troublebody>
</troubleshooting>What does this term mean?
The glossentry Topic
A single sense of a glossary term, specialized from concept. Entries can be grouped, and referenced from topics so terms are defined once.
<glossentry id="gl-cfm">
<glossterm>CFM</glossterm>
<glossdef>Cubic feet per minute, a unit of airflow.</glossdef>
</glossentry>In Practice
Types Are a Discipline, Not a Template
The value of typing shows up in the library, not the topic. Consistent tasks can be reused across publications, filtered by audience, and validated; a library where concepts carry steps and tasks carry background cannot. That is why teams adopting DITA spend their early effort on an information model, and why the types are assembled into publications by maps, with reuse through keys and conref, then published by the DITA Open Toolkit. For how DITA compares with book-shaped XML and with aerospace specifications, see DocBook vs DITA and S1000D vs DITA.
FAQ
Questions We Hear
What are the three core DITA topic types?
Concept, task, and reference: concept explains what something is, task says how to do something step by step, and reference gives facts for quick lookup. DITA 1.3's technical content package adds troubleshooting and glossentry.
What is the difference between a general task and a strict task?
Both describe how to do something. The general task, introduced in DITA 1.2, allows sections and informal steps in a flexible order. The strict task keeps the original, fixed task structure, implemented as a constraint on the general task.
Can I create my own topic types?
Yes, through specialization: a new type derived from an existing one that stays interchangeable with standard DITA tools, because it can always be generalized back to its base. It is powerful, and it raises the cost of every future toolchain change, so most teams should use the standard types first.
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