TBX (ISO 30042) – Exchanging Terminology the Right Way
TBX (ISO 30042) is the international standard format for exchanging terminology. It allows concepts, terms and languages to move between tools without losing structure or meaning.
The TBX series – from overview to practice
Why TBX exists
In real projects, terminology rarely lives in just one place: terminology databases, CAT tools, authoring systems, knowledge platforms, and often external partners. Without a common exchange format, terminology quickly turns into spreadsheets, copy-paste workflows and endless discussions about “the correct version”.
TBX was created to solve exactly this problem. It allows terminology to be exchanged in a structured, traceable and scalable way. You are not just exporting words – you are exchanging terminology.
TBX in one sentence
TBX (TermBase eXchange) is an XML-based exchange format for terminological data, standardized in ISO 30042.
What you can expect from TBX
- Concept orientation: one concept, multiple terms
- Multilingual support: multiple languages per concept
- More than terms: definitions, status, context (tool-dependent)
- Tool independence: terminology can move between systems
A very small example
<conceptEntry id="c001">
<langSec xml:lang="en-US">
<termSec><term>laser output power</term></termSec>
</langSec>
<langSec xml:lang="de-DE">
<termSec><term>Laserleistung</term></termSec>
</langSec>
</conceptEntry>
This example follows TBX 3 / ISO 30042:2019. Older TBX 2 files use
termEntry, langSet, and tig; import workflows must distinguish between
these versions.
What comes next
To work with TBX confidently, the next step is understanding its structure: conceptEntry, langSec and termSec explained .
Review exchange in your workflow
Manage TBX data with flashterm
See how terminology data can be maintained and supplied to downstream systems.