Learn how to create an ePub file using HTML and XML from scratch in this comprehensive guide. Develop your expertise and create professional eBooks effortlessly.The ePUB format is an extension format intended for the use of electronic books , called e-books, they can be purchased or downloaded through Internet sites, and read through devices or computers. However, you can also create an ePUB file with HTML and XML from scratch yourself.
How to create an ePub file with HTML and XML
Creating an ePub file from scratch using HTML and XML involves several steps. Here’s a simplified guide in tabular form:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Create a Folder Structure | Start by creating a folder for your ePub file. Inside it, create two sub-folders: ‘META-INF’ and ‘OEBPS’. |
| 2. Write Your Content in HTML | In the ‘OEBPS’ folder, create HTML files for your content. Each HTML file represents a section or chapter of your book. |
| 3. Create a CSS File (Optional) | Also in the ‘OEBPS’ folder, you can create a CSS file to style your HTML content. This step is optional but recommended for better presentation. |
| 4. Create an ‘Images’ Folder (Optional) | If your book includes images, create an ‘Images’ folder inside ‘OEBPS’ and place your image files there. |
| 5. Create the Content.opf File | In the ‘OEBPS’ folder, create a file named ‘content.opf’. This XML file defines the metadata, manifest, and spine (order of reading) of your eBook. |
| 6. Create the TOC.ncx File | Also in the ‘OEBPS’ folder, create a ‘TOC.ncx’ file. This is the navigational table of contents file, formatted in XML. |
| 7. Create the mimetype File | In the root folder, create a file named ‘mimetype’ without any extension. This file contains a single line of text: “application/epub+zip”. |
| 8. Create the container.xml File | In the ‘META-INF’ folder, create a ‘container.xml’ file. This XML file points to the ‘content.opf’ file in the ‘OEBPS’ folder. |
| 9. Zip the Contents | Zip the contents of your root folder (not the folder itself). The mimetype file should be the first file in the archive, and it must be uncompressed. |
| 10. Rename the .zip File to .epub | After zipping, rename the file extension from ‘.zip’ to ‘.epub’. |
This is a basic guide and does not cover all the complexities and variations possible in an ePub file. For a complete and compliant ePub file, it’s essential to adhere to the ePub specifications and standards
Start creating your ePUB book by writing through HTML
Although their main use is for programmatic purposes, HTML format files are nothing more than text sheets , styled for aesthetic purposes when viewed in a browser; even, the transcription of this language can be done from Word , and then achieve a conversion.
Therefore, proceed to write your book in its entirety , or divided into chapters, through the text editor, and then form their respective style sheets in number of two: the first dedicated to the pages, and the other to the style of the whole book in general.
Then, open a new document inside your editor, and write inside the sheet “application / ePUB + zip”, then save as “mimetype” without any extension .
Assigning them the name you want, and with the appropriate extension, save all the files within the same folder on your computer.
Design the first look at your book
Both the cover and the title page will be the main attraction of readers , including the synapse of your book, so it is very important to assign both aspects in the most appropriate way possible.
For the cover, an image must be stored whose weight is not greater than 64 kB, and which has a “JPG” format . This must be legible enough so as not to cause visual difficulty for readers.
On the other hand, the title page must have its own file with an “XHTML” extension, which can contain an image or simply text, depending on the editor’s taste.
Create the respective XML files of your ePUB
Each one being designed within the text editor you are using, they are the ones who will assign meaning and link to the HTML content that makes up your ePUB extension file .
The first of all will be the index, designated in any way, but with the extension “NCX”. In your content, you must generate a link to each of the HTML files that are inside the folder.
