Discover everything you wanted to know about XML and the different XML standards we use at Crius Group.
What is XML?
XML is the abbreviation for Extensible Markup Language. It is a kind of computer language for describing, storing and transmitting data in a structured way and in the form of plain text. XML is a global standard and readable for both humans and machines.
By storing content in XML, design is therefore separated from the content and stored according to a predetermined structure. This structure is defined in the XML scheme. In this context, Crius Group has experience with various XML standards.
By using XML, content is stored in a consistent way. This predictability makes it possible to publish content from this one source in different ways and to various channels. Such a publication process can be set up in various ways. Crius Group distinguishes between the [XML-first] and [Print-centric] workflow.
XML standards
The structure of XML file is defined in an XML schema. It is determined which elements (parts) can occur, in which order and how they are connected to each other. By using a schema it can be determined whether the structure of the file is correct (validate) so that it can be published.
The conditions that a file must meet may differ. Crius Group works a lot with the following standards:
JATS XML
The Journal Article Tag Suite (JATS) standard is often used in the production and publication of scientific journals. This type of publication consists of separate articles that are supplied separately by different authors. Usually these are scientists who have an interest in their articles being available quickly and digitally on (international) platforms. Such platforms are generally set up on the JATS standard.
It is important in digital publishing that content can be easily found. A tool that can help with this is DOI, 'Digital Object Identifier'. This is a unique number that can be assigned to a digital object, in this case an article or publication. A DOI number can be requested from DOI itself. DOI is widely used in the media landscape. Crius Group mainly has experience with this within the scientific world.
BITS XML
The Book Interchange Tag Suite (BITS) standard is related to the JATS standard but is intended for books. This is intended to provide a standard format so that publishers and platforms can exchange content from books, such as chapters, with each other. This standard, like JATS, is used in the scientific world.
DITA XML
This standard, the Darwin Information Typing Architecture, was originally mainly applied within technical publications, but is now also used within the publishing sector. DITA focuses on the possibility to write content in the form of topics. This means that publications or chapters are not written in full, but in smaller content blocks that can be used again and again. Crius Group has further developed this standard and made it suitable for the educational sector.
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DOCBOOK XML
This standard was initially designed to structure technical documentation in a medium-neutral way. Later it was picked up by publishers who made their publications in it. DOCBOOK is characterized by the clear book structure (book, part, chapter, article,…). As far as we are concerned, this is also the biggest disadvantage because it makes reuse more difficult. Something structured as a part in one publication cannot be used as a chapter in another publication. DOCBOOK is therefore a good standard for one-off books where reuse has a less important role.