Introduction to XML

What Is XML

XML: A markup language for organizing information in text files. XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language.

XML File: A text file that contains information organized in a structure that meets XML standards.

XML can also be viewed as a meta-language for defining more specific markup languages, because it only specifies the structural rules of unspecified tags that are used to organize information. One can easily extend XML to define a specific markup language by specifying a set of tags and their structural relations. Examples of XML-based markup languages include SVG, 3DML, and HRMML.

Here is how to create your first XML file.

1. Use any text editor to enter the following lines of text into a file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<p>Hello world!</p>

2. Save this file with name: "hello.xml".

Congratulations! You have successfully created an XML file.

Features Of XML

Main features of XML:

• XML files are text files, which can be managed by any text editor.
• XML is very simple, because it has less than 10 rules.
• XML is extensible, because it only specifies the structural rules of tags. No specification on tags them self.