Programming elements

apiname
The <apiname> element provides the name of an application programming interface (API) such as a Java class name or method name. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
codeblock
The <codeblock> element represents lines of program code. Like the <pre> element, content of this element has preserved line endings and is output in a monospaced font. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
codeph
The code phrase (<codeph>) element represents a snippet of code within the main flow of text. The code phrase is displayed in a monospaced font for emphasis. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
option
The <option> element describes an option that can be used to modify a command (or something else, like a configuration). This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
parmname
When referencing the name of an application programming interface parameter within the text flow of your topic, use the parameter name (<parmname>) element to markup the parameter. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
parml
The parameter list (<parml>) element contains a list of terms and definitions that describes the parameters in an application programming interface. This is a special kind of definition list that is designed for documenting programming parameters. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
plentry
The parameter list entry element (<plentry>) contains one or more parameter terms and definitions (pd and pt). This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
pt
A parameter term, within a parameter list entry, is enclosed by the <pt> element. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
pd
A parameter definition, within a parameter list entry, is enclosed by the <pd> element. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
synph
The syntax phrase (<synph>) element is a container for syntax definition elements. It is used when a complete syntax diagram is not needed, but some of the syntax elements, such as kwd, oper, delim, are used within the text flow of the topic content. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
syntaxdiagram
The syntax diagram (<syntaxdiagram>) element is the main container for all the syntax elements that make up a syntax definition. The syntax diagram represents the syntax of a statement from a computer language, or a command, function call or programming language statement. Traditionally, the syntax diagram is formatted with railroad tracks that connect the units of the syntax together, but this presentation may differ depending on the output media. The syntax diagram element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
groupseq
The <groupseq> element is part of the subset of elements that define syntax diagrams in DITA. A group is a logical set of pieces of syntax that go together. Within the syntax definition, groups of keywords, delimiters and other syntax units act as a combined unit, and they occur in a specific sequence, as delimited by the <groupseq> element. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
groupchoice
The <groupchoice> element is part of the subset of elements that define syntax diagrams in DITA. A group is a logical set of pieces of syntax that go together. A group choice specifies that the user must make a choice about which part of the syntax to use. Groups are often nested. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
groupcomp
The <groupcomp> element is part of the subset of elements that define syntax diagrams in DITA. A group is a logical set of pieces of syntax that go together. The group composite means that the items that make up the syntax diagram will be formatted close together rather than being separated by a horizontal or vertical line, which is the usual formatting method. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
fragment
Within a syntax definition, a <fragment> is a labeled subpart of the syntax. The <fragment> element allows breaking out logical chunks of a large syntax diagram into named fragments. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
fragref
The fragment reference (<fragref>) element provides a logical reference to a syntax definition fragment so that you can reference a syntax fragment multiple times, or pull a large section of syntax out of line for easier reading. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
synblk
The syntax block (<synblk>) element organizes small pieces of a syntax definition into a larger piece. The syntax block element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
synnote
The syntax note (<synnote>) element contains a note (similar to a footnote) within a syntax definition group or fragment. The syntax note explains aspects of the syntax that cannot be expressed in the markup itself. The note will appear at the bottom of the syntax diagram instead of at the bottom of the page. The syntax block element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
synnoteref
The syntax note (<synnoteref>) reference element references a syntax note element (<synnote>) that has already been defined elsewhere in the syntax diagram. The same notation can be used in more than one syntax definition. The syntax note reference element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
kwd
The <kwd> element defines a keyword within a syntax diagram. A keyword must be typed or output, either by the user or application, exactly as specified in the syntax definition. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
var
Within a syntax diagram, the <var> element defines a variable for which the user must supply content, such as their user name or password. It is represented in output in an italic font. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
oper
The operator (<oper>) element defines an operator within a syntax definition. Typical operators are equals (=), plus (+) or multiply (*). This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
delim
Within a syntax diagram, the delimiter (<delim>) element defines a character marking the beginning or end of a section or part of the complete syntax. Typical delimiter characters are the parenthesis, comma, tab, vertical bar or other special characters. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
sep
The separator (<sep>) element defines a separator character that is inline with the content of a syntax diagram. The separator occurs between keywords, operators or groups in a syntax definition. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.
repsep
The repeat separator (<repsep>) element in a syntax diagram defines a group of syntax elements that can (or should) be repeated. If the <repsep> element contains a separator character, such as a plus (+), this indicates that the character must be used between repetitions of the syntax elements. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.

Previous topic: Typographic elements

Next topic: Software elements