Extensible Markup Language (XML)

XML stands for Extensible Markup Language. It was mainly designed for data transportation, consumption, and storage purposes. Moreover, it was developed to extend the flexibility level in marking up, API calls.

In web designing, XML is normally used for file configurations in advanced web frameworks. For eg spring. The XML document contains a tag structure that permits easy parsing and content accessing.

It is rapidly adapted by Multi-national companies of IT sectors such as Microsoft, SAP, IBM, and many more.

Objective of XML designs:

• XML intend to be applicable over the internet and support an extensive range of applications
• To simplify writing programs
• XML documents should be clear
• XML design must be concise, formal and prepared quickly

Features of XML:

• XML is applicable to multiple systems and capable of advanced technology support because it is platform and programming language independent.
• XML supports an outstanding feature i.e. Unicode which permits it to transfer each information in human-written language.
• The data storage and transportation with XML can be modified at any time without affecting its presentation. HTML attains data from XML for data presentation which further gets display on GUI. After data updation in XML, it get reflects in HTML without affecting HTML GUI.
• Unlike HTML scripting language, XML tags are not pre-defined. Thus, web developers are required to write customize tags and schema that acts as a set of rules, across which the XML document is validated.
• XML permits validation via Schema and DTD which assure documents in preventing syntax errors.

Application of XML in IT sectors:

• XML is applicable in major aspects of web development, web designing and data distribution over the internet
• XML is usually used when there is a need for separating data and presentation
• XML permits upgrading. Thus, it is used where there is a need for expanding applications, OS, and browser without any data loss

Advantages of XML:

• Documents with XML are simple to understand
• XML allows data to be available on multiple platforms or reading machines such as a computer, news feed, etc
• It allows expendability as it does not contain any fixed number of tags. One can easily create new tags as per requirement
• Support Unicode
• It permits multiple data types of embedding
• Enhance data availability
• Improve data sharing across the internet
• Improve data transportation
• New languages can be created with XML like WSDL and XHTML

Disadvantages of XML:

a) XML does not permit arrays

b) High storage and transport cost

Tips for XML programmer:

a) Try to write simple and clean code with short tags

b) Avoid using too much metadata to prevent network traffic