The stated goal of DataTables is "To enhance the accessibility of data in HTML tables". In order to achieve this we recognise that DataTables has two categories of users that interact with the interfaces the software has:

• End users - those who use the interface in the browser that you create with DataTables

• Developers - yourself and the other developers working with DataTables to create your apps, sites, services, etc.

End users need to be able to obtain useful information from the table as quickly as possible and for this DataTables has built in features such as ordering, searching and paging. This documentation doesn't detail how that interface can be used by end users, under the assumption that these controls are self-evident (type into search input box and you search the table, for example).

What this documentation does focus on is giving you, the developers using DataTables, the information you need to be able to use DataTables in your applications, customising it to match your exact requirements, to allow your end users to benefit from the features DataTables can present them. As such, this documentation covers details from how to install DataTables on your site in the first instance, explaining how it can source data for the tables it creates and detailing how its end user interface can be customised, right the way through to more advanced topics such as creating your own plug-ins for DataTables to further enhance its abilities and interface seamlessly with your application.

Although the end user and developer interfaces that DataTables presents are of course completely disparate, each is of equal importance to DataTables meeting its goal of ensuring data in HTML tables can be accessed and consumed as quickly and as efficiently as possible.