For those seeking a document format that makes data exchange on the Web easy, then it’s time to explore XML, or Extensible Markup Language. Computer software of all kinds already use XML for data organization and presentation.
It’s easy to determine that it is the flexibility of XML that explains its great appeal to web developers. Because of the way the language is structured, it is possible to exchange data in many different forms. Data access within XML is easier, as well, than it is with it’s sister markup language, HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language. Consider this: XML programming can tailor the look of one web page for either a mobile phone or a classic computer browser. In other words, programmers don’t need to make a “mobile” and “regular” site if they don’t want to. XML’s efficiency is probably becoming more clear!
It isn’t necessary to have extensive prior experience with HTML in order to operate well using XML. The two do go hand-in-hand in many respects, since they are both descendents of SGML, another markup language. The purpose of a markup language is to organize, categorize, or otherwise label content, and the markup describes the organization. Another way of looking at it is that markup contains the content, which is what you are looking at when you see an XML page rendered.
The need for XML emerged when the limitations of HTML became clear. In HTML, users cannot add new markup elements. With a need for greater flexibility, XML evolved to meet the needs of document and data handling in a web environment.
This is just a short introduction for those who wonder just what the heck XML is. For those who wish to make the most of web development, it’s a great idea to put learning XML on your list of things to do.