a topic map could represent reference applying topics (representing any construct, from either humans, countries, & organizations to software program modules, single files, & cases), associations (which represent the relationships between the babies), & occurrences (which represent relationships between topics & tools resources relevant to the babies).

Topics, associations, & occurrences may exist as typed, however a types must be defined per developer of a topic maps, & is referred to as the ontology of the topic map. There are as well extra features, like merging & scope. the construct of merging & identity allows machine-controlled integration of topic maps from either diverse sources into a logical freshly topic map.

Dubbed "the GPS of the information universe", topic maps come too destined to provide mighty newly ways of navigating big & interconnected corpora.

Data format

Topic maps have a standard XML-based interchange syntax known as XML Topic Maps (XTM, [http://topicmaps.org/xtm/ Specification]), also as a de facto standard API called Common Topic Map Application Programming Interface (TMAPI), & inquiry & schema languages come existence developed inside ISO.

A specification is summarized in the abstract when follows: "This specification provides a model and grammar for representing the structure of information resources used to define topics, and the associations (relationships) between topics. Names, resources, and relationships are said to be characteristics of abstract subjects, which are called topics. Topics have their characteristics within scopes: i.e. the limited contexts within which the names and resources are regarded as their name, resource, and relationship characteristics. One or more interrelated documents employing this grammar is called a topic map."

The format known as [http://www.ontopia.net/download/ltm.html linear topic map notation] (LTM) serves as a sort of tachygraphy for writing topic maps inside plain text editors. This is utile for even writing short home topic maps or exchange unfair topic maps by e-mail. A format may be converted to XTM.

There exists an additional format known as [http://astma.it.bond.edu.au/ AsTMa=] which serves the similar purpose. After writing topic maps manually these are great deal additional compact however too has to become converted to XTM to become utile around applications.