##### 3.2.2.5 steps

The <steps> element provides the main content of a task topic. The task is described as a series of steps that the user must follow to accomplish the task. At least one <step> element is required inside the <steps> element.

Steps with only a single step may be rendered as a paragraph rather than as a list. Two or more steps should typically be rendered as an ordered list. If all of the contained steps are simple (that is, have no more than a <cmd> element each) then the step list should default to compact. Otherwise it should be rendered as expanded (with blank lines between each step).

Beginning with DITA 1.2, the general task model allows multiple <steps> and <steps-unordered> elements. However, the default task model in the OASIS distribution (known as strict task) continues to allow only one <steps> or one <steps-unordered> element.

###### Contains

Doctype | Content model
ditabase, task, machineryTask, learningContent | ( (stepsection) (optional) then (step) ) (one or more)

###### Contained by

Doctype | Content model
ditabase, task (strict), task (general), machineryTask, learningContent | taskbody

###### Inheritance

- topic/ol task/steps

###### Example

    <task id="sqlj">
    <title>Creating an SQLJ file</title>
     <taskbody>
     <context>Once you have set up SQLJ, you need to create a new SQLJ file.</context>
      <steps>
       <step>
        <cmd>In a text editor, create a new file.</cmd>
       </step>
       <step>
        <cmd>Enter the first query statement.</cmd>
       </step>
      </steps>
     </taskbody>
    </task>

###### Attributes

Name | Description | Data Type | Default Value | Required?
univ-atts attribute group (includes select-atts, id-atts, and localization-atts groups) | A set of related attributes, described in 3.4.1.3 univ-atts attribute group |  |  |
global-atts attribute group (xtrf, xtrc) | A set of related attributes, described in 3.4.1.2 global-atts attribute group |  |  |
class, outputclass | Common attributes described in 3.4.1.9 Other common DITA attributes |  |  |

Previous Topic: 3.2.2.4 context

Next Topic: 3.2.2.6 steps-informal

Parent Topic: 3.2.2 Task elements

Sibling Topics:

3.2.2.1 task

3.2.2.2 taskbody

3.2.2.3 prereq

3.2.2.4 context

3.2.2.6 steps-informal

3.2.2.7 steps-unordered

3.2.2.8 step

3.2.2.9 stepsection

3.2.2.10 cmd

3.2.2.11 info

3.2.2.12 substeps

3.2.2.13 substep

3.2.2.14 stepxmp

3.2.2.15 choicetable

3.2.2.16 chhead

3.2.2.17 choptionhd

3.2.2.18 chdeschd

3.2.2.19 chrow

3.2.2.20 choption

3.2.2.21 chdesc

3.2.2.22 choices

3.2.2.23 choice

3.2.2.24 stepresult

3.2.2.25 tutorialinfo

3.2.2.26 result

3.2.2.27 postreq