XML Parsing
XML Parsing is the process of reading and interpreting XML (eXtensible Markup Language) documents to extract data, validate structure, or transform content. It involves using parsers to convert XML text into a structured format like a DOM tree or SAX events, enabling applications to access and manipulate the data programmatically. This is essential for handling configuration files, web services (e.g., SOAP), data interchange, and document processing in software development.
Developers should learn XML Parsing when working with systems that use XML for data storage, communication, or configuration, such as in enterprise applications, APIs, or legacy systems. It is crucial for tasks like parsing RSS feeds, processing SOAP-based web services, reading configuration files (e.g., in Java or .NET), or handling data from databases and documents that output XML. Mastery of XML Parsing ensures efficient data extraction, validation against schemas (e.g., XSD), and integration with various programming languages and tools.