Author: Anna van Raaphorst
Keywords: installing DITA Open Toolkit, DITA Open Toolkit, authoring tool, editor, DITA authoring tools, DITA editor

# Installing your DITA authoring tool

You can create DITA source files with a plain text editor, for example Microsoft Notepad for Windows. Editors at varying levels of "DITA-awareness" are also available, both free and for purchase. These editors help you create DITA documents that are well-formed and valid.

For a list of popular DITA-aware authoring tools, see Creating and managing content

Authoring tools are not part of DITA Open Toolkit or any of the prerequisite tools for the Toolkit.

Some of these DITA authoring products contain embedded copies of the DITA Open Toolkit and hence you will not need to install the Toolkit separately.

Parent topic: Installing and upgrading DITA Open Toolkit