Leiden-conformance is the most basic, and most essential, class of EpiDoc markup. It addresses itself only to the process of textual transcription, and — in this regard — we recognize only those editorial distinctions regularly employed by editors following the Leiden Conventions and their major emendations (plus standard critical apparatus). Because EpiDoc encodes the semantics of the editorial process, specific sigla (e.g., square brackets, subscript dots, parentheses) cannot be used in the text. Rather, the XML encodings labeled, in these , as required for Leiden-conformant EpiDoc must be applied consistently and completely throughout all transcribed texts in a given digital publication if it is to be considered Leiden-conformant EpiDoc. Note that most if not all of the Leiden-sigla-to-EpiDoc-markup transformation can be accomplished automatically by tools such as CHET-C. Moreover, the relevant transcribed text must validate against an appropriate released version of the EpiDoc DTD or schema. An XML fragment may be considered a valid EpiDoc file if it is properly handled.

For further details, please see the list of Mandatory Considerations for Leiden Conformance.

EAGLE-conformant EpiDoc publications are, by definition, Leiden-conformant EpiDoc publications. Above and beyond full conformance with EpiDoc specifications for basic text transcription, AIEGL-conformant EpiDoc publications also must embody specific structures, components and metadata elements necessary to facilitate consistent, automatic incorporation of their content into the appropriate subsystem of the federated epigraphic database system sponsored by the International Association of Greek and Latin Epigraphy: The Electronic Archive of Greek and Latin Epigraphy (EAGLE). The provisions for EAGLE conformance go well beyond the semantics of transcription to incorporate description, classification and certain base elements of analysis. In addition to the provisions of Leiden-conformant EpiDoc, the XML encodings labeled, in these , as required for EAGLE-conformant EpiDoc must be applied consistently and completely throughout the work if it is to be considered EAGLE-conformant EpiDoc. Moreover, the entire epigraphic presentation must validate against an appropriate released version of the EpiDoc DTD or schema; note that an XML fragment may be considered a valid EpiDoc file if it is properly handled.

For further details, please see the list of Mandatory Considerations for EAGLE Conformance.

These Guidelines include some provisions that have been designated neither as Leiden-conforming nor as EAGLE-conforming. As such, the following subsections describe optional encoding strategies. Some are experimental or developmental. Others are advanced capabilities that are not required by all projects.