XML
A brief introduction
What is XML?
XML stands for "Extensible Markup Language". XML is a standard, simple, self-describing way of encoding both text and data so that content can be processed with relatively little human intervention and exchanged across diverse hardware, operating systems, and applications.
XML is used to define documents with a standard format that can be read by any XML-compatible application. The language can be used with HTML pages, but XML itself is not a markup language. Instead, it is a "metalanguage" that can be used to create markup languages for specific applications. For example, it can describe items that may be accessed when a Web page loads.
Basically, XML allows you to create a database of information without having an actual database. While it is commonly used in Web applications, many other programs can use XML documents as well.
Features
- XML is designed to carry data, not to display data.
- XML tags are not predefined. You must define your own tags.
- XML is designed to be self-descriptive.
XML document example
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<note>
<to>You</to>
<from>Carlo D'Amico</from>
<heading>Reminder</heading>
<body>Don't forget me to send me an e-mail!</body>
</note>