XSLT: Programmer's Reference (Programmer to Programmer)

What is this book about?

This compact, relevant, updated version reflects recent changes in the XSLT specification and developments in XSLT parsers. The material on tools and implementations has been revised; so too have all the examples. It also includes a new chapter on writing extension functions.

XML has firmly established itself as the universal standard for managing data for the web and is now being implemented on a wide scale.

XSL (eXtensible Stylesheet Language), a vital companion to XML, is used for two main purposes: to format or style XML data so that it can be displayed in a browser and to transform XML data (XSLT). When you transform an XML document, you manipulate the data into a new structure, for example, re-ordering the data. This enables the same data store to be used in an unlimited number of ways. XSLT is a flexible, customizable, and cross-platform language.

XSLT is a notoriously difficult language to understand, but this book, while being a complete reference to the recommendation, will also give code examples showing how it all ties together and can be effectively employed in a real-world development scenario.

What does this book cover?

In this book, you'll find the following topics covered:

• The rationale behind XSLT: What is it for?
• The XSLT processing model
• Design patterns and stylesheet structure
• A full reference to the XPath and XSLT languages
• The use of XSLT with worked examplesCurrently available XSLT processors - updated to reflect recent advances in XSLT parser technology
• Coverage of proposed specification enhancements

Who is this book for?

This book is for programmers already using XML to organize their data in applications and for those who want to use the power and compatibility of XSLT to improve the display of their data. The book is in three parts: a detailed introduction to the concepts of the language, a reference section giving comprehensive specifications and working examples of every feature, and an exploitation guide giving advice and case studies for the advanced user.

Michael Kay has spent most of his career as a software designer and systems architect, and has recently moved to Software AG, where he is specialising in XML database and transformation technology.  He also represents Software AG on the W3C XSL Working Group.  Previously he worked on a number of electronic commerce and publishing projects with ICL, the IT services supplier.  His background is in database technology: he has worked on the design of network, relational, and object-oriented database software products as well as a text search engine. In the XML world he is known as the developer of the open source Saxon product.
Michael lives in Reading, Berkshire with his wife and daughter. His hobbies, as you might guess from the examples in this book, include genealogy and choral singing.