Introduction to XML

XML was designed to describe data, and to focus on what data is.

HTML was designed to display data, and to focus on how data looks.

What you should already know

Before you continue you should have some basic understanding of the following:

WWW, HTML and the basics of building Web pages
Web scripting languages like JavaScript or VBScript

If you want to study these subjects first, before you start reading about XML, you can find the tutorials you need at W3Schools' Home Page.

What is XML?

XML stands for EXtensible Markup Language
XML is a markup language much like HTML
XML was designed to describe data
XML tags are not predefined in XML. You must define your own tags
XML uses a Document Type Definition (DTD) or an XML Schema to describe the data
XML with a DTD or XML Schema is designed to be self-descriptive

The main difference between XML and HTML

XML was designed to carry data.

XML is not a replacement for HTML.
XML and HTML were designed with different goals:

XML was designed to describe data and to focus on what data is.
HTML was designed to display data and to focus on how data looks.

HTML is about displaying information, XML is about describing information.

XML does not DO anything

XML was not designed to DO anything.

Maybe it is a little hard to understand, but XML does not DO anything. XML is created to structure, store, and to send information.

The following example is a note to Tove from Jani, stored as XML:

<note>
<to>Tove</to>
<from>Jani</from>
<heading>Reminder</heading>
<body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>
</note>

The note has a header, and a message body. It also has sender and receiver information. But still, this XML document does not DO anything. It is just pure information wrapped in XML tags. Someone must write a piece of software to send, receive, or display it.

XML is free and extensible

XML tags are not predefined. You must "invent" your own tags.

The tags used to mark up HTML documents and the structure of HTML documents are predefined. The author of HTML documents can only use tags that are defined in the HTML standard (like <p>, <h1>, etc.).

XML allows the author to define his own tags and his own document structure.

The tags in the example above (like <to> and <from>), are not defined in any XML standard. These tags are "invented" by the author of the XML document.

XML is a complement to HTML

XML is not a replacement for HTML.

It is important to understand that XML is not a replacement for HTML. In future Web development it is most likely that XML will be used to describe the data, while HTML will be used to format and display the same data.

My best description of XML is: XML is a cross-platform, software and hardware independent tool for transmitting information.

XML in future Web development

XML is going to be everywhere.

We have been participating in XML development since its creation. It has been amazing to see how quickly the XML standard has been developed, and how quickly a large number of software vendors have adopted the standard.

We strongly believe that XML will be as important to the future of the Web as HTML has been to the foundation of the Web, and that XML will be the most common tool for all data manipulation and data transmission.

XML Joke

Question: When should I use XML?

Answer: When you need a buzzword in your resume.

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