ISO 30042

ISO 30042 describes the TBX metamodel, core data categories, and two XML style conventions:

• DCA (Data Category as Attribute)
• DCT (Data Category as Tag)

It also sets out a methodology for creating TBX dialects, specialized versions of the format tailored to industry or organizational needs.

🧑‍💻 Who is it for? #️⃣

The standard is intended for professionals who create, manage, or exchange terminology databases, such as terminologists, translation technology developers, content authors, and localization teams. It is useful for designing new terminology systems, ensuring compatibility between tools, or analyzing existing term collections.

☝️ Why is it important? #️⃣

ISO 30042 makes it easier for different tools and teams to work with the same resources, reducing duplication and ensuring consistent use of terms across languages and projects by standardizing how terminology data is structured and exchanged.

📌 Key points about ISO 30042 #️⃣

• Defines TBX, an XML-based format for exchanging terminology data
• Describes the TBX-Core dialect and rules for creating custom dialects
• Explains the TBX metamodel and core data categories
• Supports interoperability between terminology management systems
• Applicable to translation, localization, and authoring workflows

Note: The most recent edition at the time of writing is ISO 30042:2019 which replaced ISO 30042:2008, and will itself be replaced by ISO/AWI 30042 (Edition 3), currently under development. ISO standards are constantly updated and reworked. For the latest information, check out the ISO website.