The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a standard that is enabling a revolution in web applications and business to business interactions. XML is the basis for Wireless Markup Language (WML), Voice Markup Language (VoiceML), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), REST data interchange, and numerous industry initiatives such as ACORD (insurance), PXML (proposal/RFP) and OTA (travel).
Skills Gained
- Write well-formed XML documents
- Model business requirements using XML
- Handle XML reserved characters
- Validate an XML document with a Schema
- Centralize data and markup definition with entities
- Create Schemas using XML tools
- Generate XML documents from databases
- Write XSL templates to transform XML documents into HTML
- Integrate XML, XSL and the DOM to implement a complete solution
- Understand the security concerns related to XML processing
Prerequisites
This is an introductory-level XML training course, designed for those needing an introduction to concepts and technologies associated with XML and its related recommendations. Previous experience or knowledge of HTML is helpful but not essential.
Session: XML Content
Lesson: Introduction to XML
- XML Separates Structure, Content and Format
- Content: XML Document Syntax Rules
- Structure: DTD or XML Schema
- Formatting: XSLT Transformation to HTML
Lesson: XML Mechanics
- XML Document Structure
- Rules for Well-Formed XML
- Content as MarkUp
- Namespaces Associate Alias with a URI
- Exercise: Well-Formed XML Documents
Session: XML Structure
Lesson: Namespaces
- XML Namespaces
- Name Collisions
- Namespace Scope
- Namespaces Best Practices
- Exercise: Working with Namespaces
Lesson: Structure Using Schemas
- Document Type Definition (DTD)…
- W3C XML Schemas
- Elements, Attributes, and Types
- Restricting Simple Types: Facets
- Complex Types
- Attribute Definitions
- Derivation by Extension
- Using XML Schema with Namespaces
- Exercise: Create a Simple Schema
- Exercise: Schema Development and Use
- Exercise: Extending the Schema
- Exercise: Using Namespaces and Schemas
- Exercise: Managing Large Schema (Optional)
Session: XML Formatting
Lesson: CSS and Rendering XML
- Cascading Style Sheets and XML
- XML/CSS Processing Flow
- Exercise: CSS and Rendering XML
Lesson: XSL Transformations
- XPath Describes Locations Within XML
- XSLT is Rule-Based Transformation Language
- XSL is Oriented Towards Formatting
- Exercise: XSLT and Transforming XML
Lesson: XSLT and XPath
- XPath Data Model
- Location Paths
- Additional Filtering
- XPath Operators and Functions
- XSLT Stylesheet Structure
- Templates Are The Rules
- Conflict Resolution for Templates
- Calling Templates
- Looping, Sorting and Conditional Processing Constructs
- Exercise: Working with XPath
- Exercise: XSLT Development and Use
Lesson: Overview of XPath/XSLT 2.0/3.0 (Optional)
- XPath 2.0 Improvements
- XPath 2.0 and XQuery 1.0
- XSLT 2.0 Improvements
- XPath 3.0/3.1 Features
- XSLT 3.0 Features
- Exercise: Transforming XML – XSLT 2.0 (Optional)
Lesson: XSL FO (Formatting Objects)
- XSL Family Working Together
- Apache’s FOP: Rendering XML
- Page Types Can Be Conditional
- Content Flows Into Page Regions
- Exercise: Working with XSL-FO
Session: Applying XML
Lesson: XML Interoperability
- XML From a Data Perspective
- XML/Database Interfacing
- Challenges to Mapping XML
Lesson: XML Performance Improvements
- Best Practices
- Organization of Best Practices
- Exercise: Best Practices Review
Lesson: XML Processing Security
- XML Parser Coercion
- XML Attacks: Structure
- XML Attacks: Injection
- Safe XML Processing
- Exercise: Safe XML Processing
- Exercise: Dynamic Loading Using XSLT
Lesson: XML Applications
- W3C Activities
- Benefits of XML
- Drawbacks of XML
- Crossing Boundaries
- Challenges to Integration