XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding and structuring data in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. It is widely used for representing and exchanging structured information between different systems and platforms, particularly on the internet.
Key characteristics of XML include:
- Tags and Elements: XML uses tags to define elements that encapsulate data. Elements have opening and closing tags, and they can be nested to form a hierarchical structure. For example:
<person>
<name>John Doe</name>
<age>30</age>
</person>- Well-Formedness: XML requires that documents adhere to well-formedness rules. This means that elements must be properly nested, all tags must have matching opening and closing tags, attribute values must be quoted, and there should be a single root element.
- Attributes: XML allows elements to have attributes for providing additional information. Attributes are specified within the opening tag of an element and consist of a name-value pair. For example:
<book ISBN="978-0-123456-78-9" language="en">
<title>XML Guide</title>
</book>- Document Type Definition (DTD) or XML Schema: XML can be associated with a DTD or an XML Schema, which defines the structure and constraints of the XML document. These provide a way to describe the allowed elements, their hierarchy, and the data types of their content.
- Namespaces: XML namespaces allow elements and attributes to be uniquely identified and distinguished from elements with the same names in different contexts or vocabularies. Namespaces are declared using a URI to ensure global uniqueness.
- Human and Machine Readability: XML is designed to be easily readable by both humans and machines. Its plain text format makes it accessible for manual inspection, editing, and debugging. Additionally, XML parsers and processors can programmatically interpret and manipulate XML data.
XML is widely used in various domains and applications, including web services, data interchange, configuration files, document storage, and more. It provides a flexible and extensible way to represent structured data, making it suitable for exchanging information between different systems and platforms.
It’s worth noting that XML has been largely superseded by other data formats like JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) for certain use cases due to its more concise and lightweight syntax. However, XML continues to be utilized in many contexts, particularly where compatibility with legacy systems or specific industry standards is required.
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