EPUB (Electronic Publication)

EPUB (Electronic Publication) is a free and open e-book standard by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). It is designed for reflowable content, meaning that the text display can be optimized for the particular display device used by the reader. EPUB is an XML-based format that uses XHTML or DTBook (a specialized XML vocabulary defined by the DAISY Consortium) for content, CSS for styling, and a set of XML files for packaging.

EPUB was first released in 2007 as version 2.0.1 and has since been updated to version 3.0 in 2011. The latest version of EPUB is 3.2, released in 2019.

EPUB is designed to be read on a variety of devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and e-readers such as Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. It can also be read on dedicated e-book readers such as Kobo Aura HD or Sony Reader.

The main advantage of EPUB over other formats is its flexibility; it can be used to create books with complex layouts that are optimized for different screen sizes and orientations. This makes it ideal for creating books with illustrations or diagrams that need to be displayed differently depending on the device being used to view them. Additionally, EPUB supports multimedia content such as audio and video clips, which makes it suitable for creating interactive books with audio narration or video tutorials.

EPUB also supports DRM (Digital Rights Management), which allows publishers to control how their content is distributed and consumed by users. This helps protect their intellectual property rights while still allowing users to access their content in a convenient way.

Finally, EPUB has become increasingly popular due to its support from major retailers such as Apple iBooks Store and Google Play Books Store; this has made it easier than ever before for authors and publishers to distribute their work digitally without having to worry about compatibility issues between different devices or platforms.