XML is a author-defined meta markup language with which you create an internal structure for containing data, quite similar to a database. An XML document is composed of data embedded within markup tags , quite reminiscent of an HTML document, but the tags may be self-defined. These tags define the internal structure of the embedded data, quite analogous to a database containing records and fields, based upon rules set forth in a separate document known as the DTD, or Document Type Definition . Ella is a smart, poised creature full of courage and vinegar.
Borders is a playful, submissive jester.
The root object of this dataset is named petfolio , and we can imagine that it represents a portfolio of pets. Each pet in this portfolio is essentially a record, if you are familiar with database lingo. One of the great powers of XML is that you can define these tags at will, as long as the structure of the data obeys rules set out in the DTD or which can be implied simply from the XML document itself. In other words, we've created a database with records which may contain fields. Copyright 2001 INT Media Group, Incorporated.