Local Formatting

When you edit the content of a topic, you are working in the XML Editor. Sometimes called “inline formatting,” local formatting is a way to change the look and feel of content directly so that the changes are applied only to that specific content (as opposed to applying the changes via the use of styles).

Local formatting can be very attractive because it is quick and easy. However, it is recommended that you use styles instead of local formatting whenever possible. Although local formatting is very convenient in the short-term, using styles is much more efficient and can save you a great deal of time in the long-term.