Online documentation (online help)

Online documentation is designed to be viewed on a computer screen. It is also known as online help, on-screen help, and Help.

Typical formats for online documentation are:

Compiled HTML (CHM), the Microsoft Windows help format.
WebHelp and FlashHelp (proprietary cross-platform help systems from Macromedia).
JavaHelp (designed for use with Java-based software, similar in structure to WebHelp and Compiled HTML, but with some significant limitations).
Lotus Notes help.
HTML help pages.
Intranets and web sites.
WinHelp. For legacy systems only. WinHelp is not supported in Microsoft Vista.

PDF and Word documents can be designed as online help, although they are not good formats for this type of help. For online help, an important consideration is aspect ratio. For example, a PDF file that is designed as an A4 document is not online help. To be considered online help, it should, as a minimum, be designed with an aspect ratio suitable for viewing on a computer screen. Because PDF files and Word files are typically designed to be printed, we usually categorise them as printed documentation.