XML Schema Complete Reference, The

E.3. XML Documents

E.3.1. Whole Documents

XML document:

1. A character string conforming to the grammar of the XML Recommendation; it might be in the form of an input stream, a buffer, a disk file, or any other form.

2. Either an XML document (definition 1) or a document information element, which is the product of parsing an XML document. Commonly used when there is no need to distinguish between the two.

XML instance:

An XML document—or even part of a document—whose validity is being determined. Specifically, the validity of this document depends on examining an XML schema specified by the XML instance, or possibly a different schema selected using information not in the document.

The term ‘XML instance’ as used in this book is not generic: ...