What is meant by Transclusions?
Transclusions refer to the embedding of a part of a document within another document in such a way that the embedded content automatically updates when changes are made to the original document. This concept originated from Ted Nelson and is particularly useful in hypertext systems.
Typical functions of software in the field of transclusions are:
- Automatic Updating: When the source content is changed, the transcluded copy is automatically updated.
- Version Control: Managing different versions of the transcluded content.
- Link Management: Maintaining connections between the original document and the embedded contents.
- Content Synchronization: Ensuring that the transcluded content remains in sync with the original content.
- Conflict Management: Handling conflicts that may arise when multiple users edit the transcluded content simultaneously.
- Security and Access Control: Setting permissions and access controls for the transcluded content.
Examples of Transclusions:
- Wikis: In many wiki systems, like Wikipedia, templates and modules are used to manage recurring content. A change to the template is reflected on all pages that use it.
- Document Management Systems: Systems that allow sections of a document to be inserted into other documents, such as Google Docs with its "Linked Sheets" feature.
- Content Management Systems (CMS): In CMS, certain blocks of content (like footers, headers, or advertisements) can be embedded in multiple pages and managed centrally.