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What is XML?

XML is a standard system for encoding information. Programmes that use XML can easily exchange their data, because they have the same internal structure.

XML documents are text files with information structured like a tree. Each branch can have its own ramifications and become the point of departure for other branches.

XML documents can also be transformed (for instance, to HTML), or combined so that a tree can become part of a bigger tree. Let's see a simplified example of an XML document:

   <games>
     <game name="Hide and Seek" space="exterior">
       <players min="2" max="16" />
       <ages min="3" max="undefined" />
       <description>
          Players are organized in two teams and...
       </description>
     </game>
     <game name="Chess" space="interior">
       .... etc.
     </game>
   </games>