Usage: The major use case for <block-alternatives> is multiple versions, probably multiple language versions, of a block-level assemblage such as a table or boxed-text. For example, a typical use case is an article in a printed journal which contains a figure in Portuguese and the same article when presented online with that figure in English (identical figures). Use cases include a figure provided as alternatives two or three times for a single output format (one figure in each language) and of one table provided as alternatives two or three times (one table in each language).

Comparison to Figure Group: A group of identical figures is not a figure group. The element <fig-group> is defined as a collection of related figures, rather than multiples of the same figure. A figure group containing 6 figures counts as 6 figures; a <block-alternatives> element containing 6 figures would count as a single figure, with 6 processing alternatives.

Not for Article Structures: JATS does not allow alternatives to document structures such as appendices and appendix groups. Therefore <app> and similar structural elements (as opposed to block-level elements) are not allowed inside <block-alternatives>.

Related Resource: For a discussion on the use of <block-alternatives> for multiple-language figures and tables, see Multi-Language Figures and Multi-Language Tables.