SGML stands for Standard Generalized Markup Language. It is an international standard for defining markup languages, which are used to describe the structure and presentation of documents.
SGML was developed in the 1960s by Charles Goldfarb, Edward Mosher, and Raymond Lorie at IBM. It was designed to be a generic markup language that could be used to create different document types and facilitate data interchange between different systems.
SGML uses tags to define the structure of a document. Tags are enclosed in angle brackets and indicate the beginning and end of elements within the document. These elements can represent headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, and other components.
One of the key features of SGML is its ability to define document type definitions (DTDs). DTDs specify the allowed structure and content of a document and ensure that documents conform to a specific standard. DTDs can be used to validate documents and enforce consistency and interoperability.
SGML has been widely adopted in various industries, including publishing, aerospace, defense, and government. It has been used to create documentation standards such as the DocBook and DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) standards.
SGML has also influenced the development of other markup languages, including HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and XML (eXtensible Markup Language). HTML is a simplified version of SGML that is used to create web pages, while XML is a more flexible and extensible markup language that is used for data representation and exchange.
In conclusion, SGML is a standard for defining markup languages that has been widely adopted in various industries. It enables the creation of structured and interoperable documents, ensuring consistency and facilitating data interchange between different systems.
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