Chapter 5: A <brief> Look at XML
In This Chapter
What XML can do for you
What goes into an XML document
How XML handles the names of things
Modern software takes on several forms:
• Some software is procedural.
The software tells the computer to “Do this, then do that.”
• Some software is declarative.
The software says, “Here’s what I want the form to look like” or “Here’s a list of things my application should be allowed to do.”
• Some software is neither procedural nor declarative.
The software lists functions to be executed in the order in which they apply or lists logical rules to be checked for validity.
One way or another, a development platform should use the best software for the job. That’s why the Android platform uses both procedural and declarative software.
• Android’s procedural Java code tells a device what to do.
• Android’s declarative XML code describes a layout, an application, a set of strings, a set of preferences, or some other information that’s useful to a mobile device.
A typical Android application is a mix of Java code, XML code, and a few other things. So when you develop for Android, you write lots of Java code and you mess with XML code.
