If you’ve found yourself yearning for a document format that makes it easy and flexible to exchange data across the Web, then you should learn about XML, or Extensible Markup Language. . Computer software of all kinds already use XML for data organization and presentation.

It’s the great flexibility of XML that makes it so appealing to web developers. Due the structure of the markup language, data exchange is possible in many different forms. Additionally, users find that XML makes data access simpler than is possible with HyperText Markup Language, more commonly known as HTML. Consider that XML programming has the capability to display one web page in either a mobile or regular format, depending on the user. Developers then could make one page instead of two. XML’s efficiency is probably becoming more clear!

Those who want to learn more about XML are well served by prior experience with HTML, though it isn’t necessary to become proficient. The two do go hand-in-hand in many respects, since they are both descendents of SGML, another markup language. Markup languages’ purpose is organize, categorize, or otherwise label content, and the markup itself describes the organization in question. Markup contains content, which is what you see when you look at an XML document.

XML was developed when HTML’s great shortcoming became clear. HTML does not allow for new markup elements to be devised by users. With a need for greater flexibility, XML evolved to meet the needs of document and data handling in a web environment.

This is just a short introduction for those who wonder just what the heck XML is. For those who wish to make the most of web development, it’s a great idea to put learning XML on your list of things to do.