HTML, XHTML, and CSS Bible, Fourth Edition

Chapter 21. An Introduction To XML

IN THIS CHAPTER

• XML basics

• XML syntax

• Working with document type definitions

• Introducing XML schemas

• Working with schemas

• Using XML

• Summary

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a popular scheme for representing data. Although created as a more portable version of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), XML lives mostly on the application side of the computer world. XML is used to store preferences and data from applications, provide unified data structure for transferring data, encapsulate syndicated feeds from Web sites, and more. XML standards are being adopted by other data formats such as HTML (creating XHTML).

This chapter presents a primer on XML, including its format, methods, and tools.

Note

Full coverage of XML is outside the scope of this book — full coverage of XML can occupy an entire book on its own. In the case of the Web, XML is a bystander technology, useful to know but not entirely critical for publishing on the Web. However, because XHTML is XML-compliant, coverage is mandatory. If you desire more information about XML you can pick up a book dedicated to the subject, such as WROX Beginning XML, 3rd Edition, WROX XSLT 2.0 Programmer's Reference, 3rd Edition, or Wiley's XML Weekend Crash Course or XML Programming Bible.

XML Basics

XML was created to bring the advantages of the SGML standard to smaller platforms such as Web browsers. XML retains the flexibility of its older sibling but has been redesigned for the Web with the ability to be ...