XML
ExplainedProtocol / format
Also known as: Extensible Markup Language
Markup format for structured data. Older and more verbose than JSON, still common in enterprise.
XML, explained
Written by EduVerseWhat it is
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a text format for structured data built from nested tags, much like HTML, except you choose the tag names yourself, such as <order> or <price>. Elements can carry attributes, and a document can be validated against a schema (XSD) that defines exactly what’s allowed.
Why teams use it
XML was the usual way to exchange data before JSON spread across the web, so banks, governments and older enterprise systems still rely on it, often through SOAP services. Strict schemas and namespaces suit formal agreements between organizations. For new web APIs, most teams choose JSON because it’s shorter and simpler.
An example from work
You open a Java project and the first file you meet is pom.xml, where Maven lists the project’s dependencies, each inside <dependency> tags with a groupId, artifactId and version. Forget one closing tag and the build stops with a parse error pointing to the line. Android layouts and SVG images are XML too.
Our own explanation, not a quote from the book.
Where it fits
Enterprise integrations, SOAP, configuration files (pom.xml)
Coverage in the book
Explained and compared with alternatives, so you know where and why it’s used.
