XML, the abbreviation for eXtensible Markup Language, is a straightforward language like HTML used in web design. It allows applications, computers, and digital media to handle diverse information in e-commerce.
Extensible Markup Language enables direct representation, storage, and data transmission.
What is XML, and What Does it Do?
XML is not a programming language with specific tasks. Instead, it offers a faster framework for addressing various needs. Some languages that support the framework structure are XHTML, XSLT, and SOAP.
XML follows a set of rules that computers can easily understand and process. It aims to be simple and user-friendly on the Internet. It can handle any language since it relies on textual characters for its structure.
People created XML to make it easier to share information electronically. Over time, it became widely used for web-based information exchange, aligning with the increasing needs of users.
XML History
In 1996, the W3C developed XML, which merged the superior features of both HTML and GML. It started with the intention of creating a prototype in a markup language. IBM (International Business Machines) developed the GML language during the 1960s and 1970s.
It overcomes obstacles posed by HTML, enabling accessible information sharing across devices. It enhances user experience by presenting great details on the screen and adapting to any browser.
The GML system can hold a lot of information and lets you sort and put together documents in different ways.
ISO became interested in a new language that helps set rules for the whole world, and they made a language called SGML in 1986.
It is a language used to make documents look good on paper or screen. It also lets people share and use documents on different computer systems.
Extensible Markup Language is a language that helps people manage things on the Internet. People use it to handle things on the Internet and save or change information. Many people in school and work use it because it’s popular. Various working domains have devised appropriate computer applications tailored to this language.
People made a computer program called DITA to help them write and reuse old papers for work.
Sleepycat Software got some new computer programs by buying DB XML, Astoria, and Advent Publishing, which made them even better. These developments paved the way for the widespread use of XML in the information world.
People have been using computers to share information on the Internet since 2005. The developed utilities initiated the synchronization of data processing to documents utilizing this structure.
Structure
An XML document consists of tags arranged, each representing an entity. The label’s scope is up to the supplementary title that covers it.
Basic Rules of eXtensible Markup Language
The Extensible Markup Language rules are strict, so they use a unique tool to ensure the documents follow them. This tool also stops mistakes in other types of papers like HTML. Thus, there are three types of these documents: valid, invalid, and well-structured. Invalid documents do not follow syntax rules.
If you don’t follow the rules for a paper with a unique code, you need to improve it.
When you create a document, it needs to follow specific rules. These rules are like instructions that tell the computer how to read the document. If the paper doesn’t follow these rules, the computer might not be able to understand it. So, it’s essential to make sure your document follows the rules!
DTD tells you what you can put in an XML document. It’s like a rulebook that helps you organize your information. DTDs are part of the original specification, like the SGML DTD structure.
XML Schema is a set of rules that helps make documents. It is more complex than DTD and can do more things, like using different data types and constraints.
W3C developed the Schema specification after its original specification. The DTD decides how a document looks and what it says, and attributes show what things mean.
Features of XML Language
With XML, users can create their tags and assign attributes to tags. Thanks to this feature, the structure and layout of a document are separate.
The computer saves papers in words that people and machines can read.
Each document includes pertinent metadata, allowing search engines on the web to recognize it more. Moreover, users can convert or export the data into broadcast formats.
XML is a type of code that anyone can use because it has no special rules. It means people from all over the world can use it. Thus, it is compatible with any character set, including the UNICODE character set UTF-8.
Users can create documents due to the presence of specific creation rules. It helps share information in documents on different websites or places.
Usage Areas
Websites use content management systems to help organize and share their articles and pictures online.
People use computer programs to track crucial information, like store stock and arrival dates. Additionally, websites use unique tools for search engine optimization.
Different computer programs help take care of a website by doing important jobs. This way, it’s easier to change what the website says without knowing how to make web pages from scratch.
You can send XML documents over the Internet; they’re easy to use. They can make a website work better and do more things.
TolgaBagci
Hi, I'm Tolga, a computer expert with 20 years of experience. I help fix computer issues with things like hardware, systems, networks, virtualization, servers, and operating systems. Check out my website for helpful info, and feel free to ask me anything. Keep yourself in the loop about the newest technologies!
