Content schema

A content schema defines a set of rules for how content is structured within a publication. The purpose of a schema is to help authors create publications with content that adheres to a certain standard. This way, it’s easier for information to be managed and exchanged between different systems. From back-end programming languages to code created for SEO improvements – all these represent a schema, a structured format for content that makes it easy to understand for machines. When content is machine-ready, content workflows can be automated, increasing efficiency for content operations teams.

When speaking of technical writing, there are several content schemas, among which we can name DITA, S1000D, DTD, XSD, or RNG. These XML standards and schemas are the most widely used by enterprises from various industry and activity sectors. A schema’s role is to define the main component types in a publication, where they sit in the hierarchy, and how they can be used.