XHTML modularization is a methodology for producing modularized markup languages in a number of different schema languages (currently
DTDs,
XML Schema
An XML schema is a description of a type of XML document, typically expressed in terms of constraints on the structure and content of documents of that type, above and beyond the basic syntactical constraints imposed by XML itself. These constra ...
and
Relax NG
In computing, RELAX NG (REgular LAnguage for XML Next Generation) is a schema language for XML—a RELAX NG schema specifies a pattern for the structure and content of an XML document. A RELAX NG schema is itself an XML document but RELAX NG also ...
) so that the modules can easily be plugged together to create markup languages.
Although it was originally designed to help manage the development of various XHTML Profiles, such as XHTML 1.1,
XHTML Basic
XHTML Basic is an XML-based structured markup language primarily used for simple (mainly ''handheld'') user agents, typically mobile devices.
XHTML Basic is a subset of XHTML 1.1, defined using XHTML Modularization including a reduced set of mo ...
for mobile devices, and XHTML Print for sending to printers,
the methodology is independent of XHTML, and has been used for the definition of other markup languages as well, such as
SVG
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an XML-based vector image format for defining two-dimensional graphics, having support for interactivity and animation. The SVG specification is an open standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium s ...
and
MathML
Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) is a mathematical markup language, an application of XML for describing mathematical notations and capturing both its structure and content. It aims at integrating mathematical formulae into World Wide W ...
.
Method
XHTML Modularization consists of three essential parts
# a technique or methodology (as explained, actually independent of XHTML, and applicable to any XML-based markup language) for defining abstract modules of a markup language, and implementing those modules in various schema languages, such as
DTDs,
XML Schema
An XML schema is a description of a type of XML document, typically expressed in terms of constraints on the structure and content of documents of that type, above and beyond the basic syntactical constraints imposed by XML itself. These constra ...
, and
Relax NG
In computing, RELAX NG (REgular LAnguage for XML Next Generation) is a schema language for XML—a RELAX NG schema specifies a pattern for the structure and content of an XML document. A RELAX NG schema is itself an XML document but RELAX NG also ...
.
# a collection of abstract modules
# a number of implementations of those modules in various schema languages.
To define a language using these modules, you only have to define a ''driver'' in one or more of the implementation schema languages, that causes the necessary modules to be loaded.
Application to XHTML
In its application to XHTML, it provides a means for defining modules of
XHTML
Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) is part of the family of XML markup languages. It mirrors or extends versions of the widely used HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the language in which Web pages are formulated.
While HTML, prior ...
to allow subsetting and extending XHTML in a controlled way.
Core modules are:
* Structure (html, head, body, title...)
* Text (h1, h2, h3... p, pre...)
* Hypertext (a)
* List (ul, li...)
Other modules include applet, image, forms and basic forms.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Xhtml Modularization
XML-based standards
XHTML
World Wide Web Consortium standards