Mallard 1.0
This specification was marked final on 2013-07-23.
This specification has been replaced by Mallard 1.1.
Mallard is a markup language for dynamic, topic-oriented help. It is designed to be as simple as possible, while still providing the features needed for a modern help system. Mallard features a unique reciprocal linking system that helps writers create flexible help frameworks that are easy to extend with new content. Writers can create an outline-like structure, and as they add new help topics, the reciprocal linking mechanism will neatly integrate the new help topics with the existing help topics.
These pages serve as the official specification for the Mallard 1.0 markup language. Mallard is formally defined using a RELAX NG schema, maintained in compact syntax in code blocks throughout this specification. These are automatically extracted to create the official schema.
The specification is designed to be easy to read, with plenty of notes and examples. It can serve as a reference for those already familiar with the basic concepts of Mallard. For an introduction to Mallard, see Learn Mallard on projectmallard.org.