What can Nytril do, that others cannot?
Many tech writers already single-source content with variables,
content references, and conditional text in tools like DITA, MadCap
Flare, or static site generators. What can Nytril do that those tools
can't? When would you tell someone to stay with what they have?
Nytril does not store structured data in XML or in a proprietary database and build a
document from that source. Instead, a document is a program that executes, building content
along the way. Everything that goes into the document is visible to the writer. A built-in
debugger lets you trace each step as the code runs.
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There is no data-entry UI.
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Data and text are expressed in source code.
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All the files are on every writer's machine.
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Writers can edit offline and merge later.
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There is no cloud content management system, but Git can be used to track changes.
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There is full programming power at every content level from data to formatting to
document export.
Nytril works the same way as a software project. You organize your data, text, variables, and
definitions in source code and use source control. Image files, data in databases and web APIs
can be easily accessed by code to add to your content. Since Nytril is a full programming
language, calculations and logic can be freely mixed with content without "escaping" to
another language or grammar. In the
Mortgage Calculator
program, for example, Nytril
collects user input, calculates the numbers and formats the document: all in one small
program.
Despite its power, Nytril is different from other approaches and, like any system, has a
learning curve. People should stick with what they have if they do not want to incur switching
costs or they do not need the extra power.