The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a specification for creating custom markup languages. XML is a fee-free open standard recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
It referred to as "extensible" because it allows its users to define their own elements. It is a specification for describing content structures. XHTML, DocBookx, DITA, S1000D and SVG and thousands more are all languages described according to XML rules. Many organisations have also created their own proprietary languages in when no industry standard langauges suited their purposes.
XML started as a simplified subset of the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), but is much simpler. With XML's simplicity came ease of implementation, and wider adoption, leading to higher per-project ROI than other languages. The business case for XML has been proven repeatedly in applications where machines must operate on textual information, such as:
- XML translation management/memory
- XML content management and reuse management
- XML content syndication
- XML single-source multi-format publishing
- XML content archiving
Mekon has had a long history in XML and XML services and solutions, both contributing to standards groups and implementing XML content management and XML publishing solutions for our clients.
