EPUB 3 is an open standard format for digital publishing that allows users to read their digital publications on any device and in any format they want. These users don’t need to “pinch and zoom” documents to read them on a mobile device, like they would do with PDFs. EPUB content, like websites, can reflow to adapt to a wide range of devices and lets users easily access and consume documents without any degradation of performance. Leveraging accessible technology solutions such as EPUB 3 enhances the customer experience, increases customer satisfaction, and eliminates barriers to digital knowledge. Find out more in the Knowbility workshop!
How is it different from PDF?
EPUB 3 uses open web technologies, such as HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, WAI-ARIA, SVG and MathML, to create a package for ebooks and other publishing media. Content providers can provide richer user experiences and it provides more inclusive access to digital math, interactive documentation, complex layouts, and charts compared to other formats, like PDF. PDFs were introduced to assure that documents always look and print the same. This inevitably leads to horizontal scrolling on smaller screens.
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Why EPUB?
Why is EPUB 3 becoming the preferred format for digital online publications and interactions?
- EPUB is more dynamic. Because it is based on XHTML and web standards, it can adapt to various devices and sizes. The reflow capabilities allow users to easily consume documents on mobile devices without pinching and scrolling.
- EPUB is accessible, allowing better interaction for all users.
- EPUB delivers a richer experience. Various interactive and inclusive components can be embedded within EPUB:
- digital math via Math ML
- complex layouts
- multimedia and text to speech
- quizzes, annotations, and other interactive components.
All of this makes EPUB a great platform for documents, books and education. Education publishers have adopted EPUB to make learning more dynamic and accessible. Companies are switching from PDF to EPUB formats for documentation. EPUB provides more accessibility and flexible delivery to multiple devices.
Want to learn more?
On November 12, 2020 Knowbility hosts EPUB expert Lisa Snider to present on the advantages of EPUB and how to implement it. Read more about the workshop.
