Definition and Purpose

The short description (<shortdesc>) in DITA provides a brief, standalone summary of a topic that helps users quickly evaluate content relevance.

A short description (<shortdesc>) in DITA is a brief, standalone summary that follows the topic title. It offers a quick overview of the content, helping readers decide whether the topic is relevant to them, and providing preview text in search results or navigation panels.

They are especially critical when content is reused in many different outputs where full context may not always be obvious. Well-written short descriptions reduce user friction, improve content findability, and decrease support costs by helping users locate relevant information faster.

Core Function

Short descriptions provide concise topic summaries that help users quickly determine if content meets their needs before investing time in reading the full topic.

Multiple Functions of Short Descriptions

• Provide quick context to the reader.
• Enhance search engine indexing and UI previews (e.g., side panels, pop-ups, tooltips).
• Aid navigation in tables of contents and site maps.
• Provide link previews when topics are referenced from other content.
• Serve as metadata for content management and automated processing.
• Act as SEO descriptions for web-published content.