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XML Overview

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is the universal language for data on the Web. XML gives developers the power to deliver structured data from a wide variety of applications to the desktop for local computation and presentation. XML allows the creation of unique data formats for specific applications; it is also an ideal format for server-to-server transfer of structured data.

XML is an integral part of the Microsoft® Windows® Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) architecture for data delivery and exchange between multiple tiers. There are many benefits to using XML both on the Web and in the middle tier:

• Delivers data for local computation.

  Data delivered to the desktop is available for local computation. The data can be read by the XML parser, then delivered to a local application such as a browser for further viewing or processing. Or the data can be manipulated through script or other programming languages using the XML Object Model.
  
  

• Gives users an appropriate view of structured data.

  Data delivered to the desktop can be presented in multiple ways. A local data set can be presented in the view that is right for the user, dynamically, based on factors such as user preference and configuration.
  
  

• Enables the integration of structured data from multiple sources into common logical views.

  Typically, agents will be used to integrate data from server databases and other applications on a middle-tier server, making this data available for delivery to the desktop or to other servers for further aggregation, processing, and distribution.
  
  

• Describes data from a wide variety of applications.

  Because XML is extensible, it can be used to describe data contained in a wide variety of applications, from describing collections of Web pages to data records. Because the data is self-describing, data can be received and processed without the need for a built-in description of the data.
  
  

• Improves performance through granular updates.

  XML enables granular updating. Developers do not have to send the entire structured data set each time there is a change. With granular updating, only the changed element must be sent from the server to the client. The changed data can be presented without the need to refresh the entire page or table.
  
  

To date, Microsoft has actively participated in the W3C's  creation and standardization of XML and has aggressively delivered XML support in its products. For example, Microsoft Internet Explorer was the industry's first browser software to support XML. For developers, Microsoft provides a standalone, redistributable version of MSXML, a general purpose XML parser that lets any application easily manipulate XML information. Finally, with dozens of industry partners, customers and standards bodies, Microsoft has helped develop the BizTalk Framework to accelerate the adoption and use of XML for e-commerce and enterprise application integration.

The XML technical articles provide overviews of XML and its related technologies, as well as how to use XML in applications. The code samples show how to use Visual Studio and the Microsoft XML parser to read and write XML documents. The Duwamish Books sample is a Windows DNA application built with Visual Studio and leveraging XML for data exchange. The BizTalk JumpStart Kit shows how to generate Visual Studio middle-tier components based on an XML schema. The SQL Server XML Technology Preview enables queries to be sent directly to SQL Server 7.0 via a URL, with the results returned as XML-formatted documents.