XML Bible

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764532367 ISBN 13: 9780764532368

Publisher: Wiley, 1999

If XML can do it, you can do it too... XML is revolutionizing Web-site development by making difficult tasks easier — and many new tasks possible. Based on the latest W3C standards, this thorough tutorial-plus-reference takes you step by step through everything you need to know to put XML to work, from the fundamentals of the XML language to document construction and simple XML-based solutions for specialized markup problems. Numerous examples, specifications, and addresses for relevant Web sites leave no questions unanswered. Inside, you'll find complete coverage of XML

• Follow simple rules to create well-formed XML documents
• Define tags that make sense for your document
• Format your documents with style sheets
• Create your own markup languages
• Validate documents with DTDs
• Explore RDF, VML, CDF, and other XML applications

Essential XML tools and code samples on CD-ROM include:

• Code for all numbered listings in the book
• XML browsers and tools
• World Wide Web Consortium XML standards

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Review:

The emergence of XML is having an enormous impact on Web development, and scaling the learning curve of this new technology is a priority for many developers. The XML Bible offers a superb introduction to the subject and the groundwork to understand XML's future developments.

Author Elliotte Rusty Harold uses a patient, step-by-step discussion that clearly points out the potential of XML without boring his readership with tons of SGML spec-speak. Harold opens quickly with a "Hello World" example to get the reader coding early, and follows that with a simple but powerful example of XML's data management benefits--presenting baseball statistics. Once you've coded your first XML documents, you'll be hooked on the technology and motivated to learn about the more sophisticated topics.

Style sheet languages are covered comprehensively to illustrate the presentation possibilities and pitfalls. An unusually long list of real-life XML applications also shows how XML is already being used, and there is in-depth coverage of the Resource Description Framework, Channel Definition Format, and Vector Markup Language. The book wraps up with a section that helps you design your own XML application from scratch.

Titling a book a bible is a bold move, but this engaging and informative guide is entitled to make this claim. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered: XML background, example XML applications, type definitions (DTDs), style languages, Xlinks, Xpointers, Namespaces, application planning, and XML 1.0 specification.

From the Publisher:

"The XML Bible provides complete coverage on all XML-related topics and will be an essential resource for any developer." —Sean Rhody, Technical Editor, XML Journal