# `<data>`

The `<data>` element represents a property within a DITA topic or map. While the `<data>` element can be used directly to capture properties, it is particularly useful as a basis for specialization. Default processing should treat the content as an unknown kind of metadata and ignore it for rendering, but custom processing may match the `@name` attribute or specialized element and use the element for automated manipulation or to format data associated with the body flow. For example, a specialized `<data>` element may be used to format properties as sidebars or other adornments or to harvest properties for automated processing.

Category: Specialization elements