What Is XML?

XML stands for Extensible Markup Language, and its very flexibility makes it notoriously hard to define. It is beyond the scope of this book to provide a complete introduction to XML, but we can cover some of the basics. If you would like to read more about XML, please read Sams Teach Yourself XML in 24 Hours (ISBN 0-672-32213-7). For a formal definition, see http://www.w3.org/XML/.

XML is a markup language that enables you to define your own markup languages. In fact, it is more a set of rules than a language in itself. These rules determine the ways in which you can define tags and elements (similar to HTML elements). As long as you obey the rules, you have complete freedom to create languages that fulfill a whole range of functions. ...

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