XML well-formedness is a fundamental concept in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) that ensures documents adhere to specific structural rules. A well-formed XML document follows a set of syntactic guidelines, making it readable by XML parsers and applications.
<root>
<parent>
<child>Content</child>
</parent>
</root>
<element attribute="value">Content</element>
Ensuring XML well-formedness can be tricky. Here are some common pitfalls:
<open>Content</close>
<parent><child>Content</parent></child>
<element attribute=value>
Well-formedness is crucial for several reasons:
Various tools can help verify XML well-formedness:
To deepen your understanding of XML, explore these related topics:
XML well-formedness is the foundation of creating valid and reliable XML documents. By adhering to these rules, you ensure your XML is parsable and interoperable across various systems and applications. Remember, well-formedness is just the first step; for more robust document validation, consider learning about XML DTDs and XML Schemas.