XML elements are the fundamental components of XML (eXtensible Markup Language) documents. They form the structure and hierarchy of data, making XML a powerful tool for storing and transmitting information.
An XML element consists of an opening tag, content, and a closing tag. It represents a unit of data within an XML document. Elements can contain text, other elements, or be empty.
The basic syntax of an XML element is as follows:
<elementName>Content</elementName>
Where:
<elementName>
is the opening tagContent
is the element's content (optional)</elementName>
is the closing tagThese elements contain text or other elements between the opening and closing tags.
<book>
<title>XML Basics</title>
<author>John Doe</author>
</book>
Empty elements have no content and can be written in two ways:
<br />
<img src="image.jpg"></img>
Elements can contain other elements, creating a hierarchical structure:
<person>
<name>
<first>Jane</first>
<last>Smith</last>
</name>
<age>30</age>
</person>
When naming XML elements, follow these rules:
Elements play a crucial role in creating the XML document tree. They define the hierarchical structure of the data, with the XML root element at the top and child elements nested within.
Understanding XML elements is essential for working with XML documents. They provide a flexible and powerful way to structure data, making XML a versatile format for data exchange and storage. As you delve deeper into XML, explore concepts like XML namespaces and XML well-formedness to create robust and valid XML documents.