---
title: "Transclusion"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/reference/glossary/transclusion.html
description: "A transclusion is a cross-reference that directly includes referenced content into a source document. In PSML, it uses a blockxref element with type \"transclude\", automatically embedding content at processing time rather than only during publication."
last_updated: 2026-09-05T17:36:31+10:00
tokens: ~222
---

# Transclusion

A transclusion is a type of [cross reference](/reference/glossary/cross_reference.md) that is resolved directly, so that the referenced content (a [document](/reference/glossary/document.md) or part of a document) is included into the source document.

In [PSML – PageSeeder Markup Language](/reference/glossary/psml.md), transclusions are expressed using a `<blockxref>` of type `transclude`:

```xml
<blockxref type="transclude" ... />
```

For more information, *see *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transclusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transclusion).

#### Transclusion vs. embedded links

The essential difference between an embedded link and a transclusion, is when the referenced content is included in the document.

Transcluded content is automatically included in the source document whereas embedded content is only included when the content is published.