XML Learning Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS
   XML Quick Start
   XML Articles
   XML White Papers
   XML Chapter Downloads
   XML Tutorials & Code Examples
   Developer Tools and Downloads
   Industry Quotes about XML
   Q&A with XML Experts
   Products using XML
   Online XML Resources
   XML Specs
   More Learning Guides

XML (eXtensible Markup Language): "XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a flexible way to create common information formats and share both the format and the data on the World Wide Web, intranets, and elsewhere. For example, computer makers might agree on a standard or common way to describe the information about a computer product (processor speed, memory size, and so forth) and then describe the product information format with XML. Such a standard way of describing data would enable a user to send an intelligent agent (a program) to each computer maker's Web site, gather data, and then make a valid comparison. XML can be used by any individual or group of individuals or companies that wants to share information in a consistent way."

XML Quick Start

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• Glossary Definition: XML (SearchSOA.com, powered by Whatis.com)


• Robin Cover'sCover Pagesoffers XML news and information, with detailed descriptions of nearly every known XML standard, plus a comprehensive library that includes a killer list of XML introductions (xml.coverpages.org)


• XML Developer Tips (SearchSOA.com)


• XML QuickStart (DevX.com>


• XML basics quick start (ZVON.org)


• XML Tutorial (W3Schools)


• What is XML? (l. c. rees)

XML Articles

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• Article: Inside the Google Web Toolkit (Ed Tittel, SearchSOA.com)


• Article: XML things that bite you (Bill Brogden, SearchSOA.com)


• Article: XSLT expression processing techniques. (Ed Tittel, SearchSOA.com)


• Article: RDF, a Semantic Web on-ramp. (Ed Tittel, SearchSOA.com)


• Article: XML an increasingly valuable skill, experts say. (Michelle Graziose Webb, SearchSOA.com)


• Article: The essential XML bookshelf: Introductions. (Ed Tittel, SearchSOA.com)


• Article: XML at the command line with XSH. (Ed Tittel, SearchSOA.com)

XML White Papers

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• Model Driven Architecture (MDA) (Object Management Group, aka OMG)


• The Importance of Open Data (Cognos Incorporated)


• Research Guide: Bitpipe Research Guide: EAI and Web Services (Bitpipe)


• Applying SOA Principals in Developing Advanced Telecom Applications (Ubiquity Software)


• Building Blocks for Effective Governance, Risk & Compliance (SAP America)


• The Practical Application of SOA, EJB, Web Services and More (Infor)

XML Chapter Downloads

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• Ajax: Your Visual Blueprint for Creating Rich Internet Applications Integrating and Automating Business Processes (Wiley)
• Integration and SOA: Concepts, Technologies and Best Practices Integration and SOA (ebizQ and WebMethods)
• Service Orient or Be Doomed If You're In a Hole, the First Thing You Do Is Stop Digging (Wiley)
• Core C# and .NET XML Web Services (Prentice Hall PTR)
• Service-Oriented Architecture: A Field Guide to Integrating XML and Web ServicesIntroduction to Web Services Technologies (Prencitce Hall PTR)
• Professional Ajax Ajax for Web Services (Wiley Publications/Wrox Press)
• Service Oriented-Architecture: Concepts, Technology, and Design Advanced Messaging, Metadata, and Security (Prentice Hall PTR)

XML Tutorials & Code Examples

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• Motivation: What Is XML and Why Should I Care? (Tony Stewart, Flash Creative Management, Inc.)


• Tutorial: XML. (XMLFiles.com)


• Tutorial: Introduction to XML. (Digital Web Magazine)


• Tutorial: The top 10 pointers to XML information online. (SearchSOA.com)


• Tutorial meta-reference: XMLpitstop Tutorials Page. (XMLpitstop.com offers pointers to hundreds of general XML introductions and specific XML application tutorials)


• Tutorial: Untangling Unicode encoding in XML. (SearchSOA.com)

Developer Tools and Downloads

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• Altova Authentic 2007 is the company's free (but still useful) XML and database content editor. (Altova).


• Free XML tools and software (Lars Marius Garshol)


• XML Resources (James Clark)


• Apache XML Project (Apache)


• XML tools (WebReference.com)


• XMLwriter XML Editor v2.7 (Wattle Software)


• FreeDownloads XML freeware and shareware listings. (FreeDownloadsCenter.com)

Industry Quotes About XML

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• Rose O'Donnell, vice president of engineering, Bowstreet Inc.: "[XML] is ultimately what will equate to less pain, or less churn in the way businesses communicate with partners and customers"
• IT-Director.com: "Arguably, XML is already as viable as you can need. But clearly there's more to come."
• Peter Abrahams, Analyst, Bloor Research: "The technical cost of entry into the [integration] market has gone down with the advent of standards such as XML, Web services and BPEL."
• Peter Abrahams, Analyst, Bloor Research: "[XML] is now having more impact than SQL that has been around for25 years."

Expert Advice from XML Experts

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• Favorite XML resources online


• On RELAX NG versus XML Schema


• Is it necessary for Web developers to know XML?


• Storing XML data using the XML data type in SQL Server 2005


• Generating XML from stored procedures


• Dealing with XML bandwidth consumption


• How do XML schema validators work?


• Returning data as XML from stored .NET procedures


• XML's role in managing and integrating Open Source applications?

XML Products

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• Browse this Collection of XML products in our XML Products Directory. (SearchSOA.com)


• XML.com Buyer's Guide (O'Reilly)


• Commercial SGML/XML Software (Cover Pages)


• SOA Products Directory (SearchSOA.com)


• Active BPEL for Apache Tomcat (Business Process Execution Language, aka BPEL, toolset)


• Eclipse Web Tools Platform (Generic, XML-basedm platform-independent Web development tools)


• Review: Inside The Altova XML Suite 2006 (SearchSOA.com)

Online Resources for XML

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• Cafe con Leche XML News and Resources


• ZVON: The Guide to the XML Galaxy


• XML.com


• W3C.org: XML


• XML.org


• The XML FAQ


• XML CoverPages


• DevX


• MSDN XML Developer Center


• IBM developerWorks: XML

XML Specifications

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• Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 Specification (4th Edition, edited in place 9/29/2006) (W3C)


• Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.1 (2nd Edition, 8/16/2006) (W3C)


• Resource Description Framework (RDF) Model and Syntax Specification (W3C)


• Namespaces in XML 1.0 (2nd Edition, 8/16/2006) (W3C)


• Namespaces in XML 1.1 (2nd Edition, 8/16/2006) (W3C)


• XML Information Set (2nd Edition, 2/4/2004) (W3C)


• Document Object Model (DOM) Technical Reports (W3C; includes pointers to current DOM specifications for Levels 1 through 3)


• XHTML 1.0: The Extensible HyperText Markup Language: A Reformulation of HTML 4.0 in XML 1.0 (W3C; see also the HTML Home Page for more XHTML specifications and info)


• Extensible Stylesheet Language Family (XSL) (W3C; follow links for XSLT, XPath, XSL-FO, and other relevant specifications)


• W3C XML Pointer, XML Base, and XML Linking (W3C; follow links to specs for XLINK, XML Base, and XPointer)


• OASIS XML Standards and Other Approved WorkC (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, aka OASIS, manages lots of important XML standards and specifications, including much e-business related stuff)

More Learning Guides

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• BPM Learning Guide(SearchSOA.com)
• Ajax Learning Guide(SearchSOA.com)
• XML Security Learning Guide(SearchSecurity.com & SearchSOA.com)
• BPEL Learning Guide(SearchSOA.com)
• SOA Learning Guide(SearchSOA.com)
• Eclipse Learning Guide(SearchSOA.com)