Concept Topics

Concept topics are used to explain things such as objects and functions, models and structures, or processes and workflows. Essentially they help readers understand a subject before diving into tasks or more granular information.

User Intent

"I need to understand this before I can do anything with it."

Common Tags

• <concept>: Root element for the topic.
• <title>: Name of the concept.
• <shortdesc>: A brief summary or abstract.
• <conbody>: Main body content.
• <section> or <p>: Used to structure and present explanatory content.

Best Practices for Writing

• Start with a clear definition or high-level overview.
• Explain the "why" before introducing the "what."
• Use analogies or examples to clarify complex concepts.
• Organize content from general to specific.
• Avoid embedding task steps in concept topics; instead, provide related links to separate task topics.

Sample XML Code

<concept id="twofactorauth">
  <title>What is Two-Factor Authentication?</title>
  <shortdesc>Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security.</shortdesc>
  <conbody>
    <p>2FA requires users to provide two forms of identity verification...</p>
    <section>
      <title>Benefits of 2FA</title>
      <p>It protects against phishing, stolen passwords, and more.</p>
    </section>
  </conbody>
</concept>