Abstract An introduction to the software package DELTA (DEscription Language for TAxonomy) is given. The contribution consists of step by step instructions into the DELTA Editor and the interactive identification program Intkey. It describes how to record taxonomic character information in a database and maintain these data. Standard output functions are simplified in a new starter database. All used commands are commented and it is marked where changes in the command files are required. The paper explains how to generate text descriptions, interactive identification tools, and how to make keys and species diagnoses.