Learning XML, 2nd Edition

Amazon.com

Although Learning XML covers XML rather broadly, it nevertheless presents the key elements of the technology with enough detail to familiarize the reader with this crucial markup language. This guide is brief enough to tackle in a weekend.

Author Erik T. Ray begins with an excellent summary of XML's history as an outgrowth of SGML and HTML. He outlines very clearly the elements of markup, demystifying concepts such as attributes, entities, and namespaces with numerous clear examples. To illustrate a real-world XML application, he gives the reader a look at a document written in DocBook--a publicly available XML document type for publishing technical writings--and explains the sections of the document step by step. A more simplified version of DocBook is used later in the book to illustrate transformation--a powerful benefit of XML.

The all-important Document Type Definition (DTD) is covered in depth, but the still-unofficial alternative, XML Schema, is only briefly addressed. The author makes liberal use of graphics, tables, and code to demonstrate concepts along the way, keeping the reader engaged and on track. Ray also goes deep into some discussion of programming XML utilities with Perl.

Learning XML is a very readable introduction to XML for readers with existing knowledge of markup and Web technologies. It meets its goals very well--to deliver a broad perspective of XML and its potential. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered:

• XML overview
• XPointer
• XLink
• XHTML
• Presentation with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
• Document Type Definitions (DTDs)
• XML Schemas
• Transformation with XSLT
• Internationalization
• Simple API for XML (SAX)

Reviews From AMAZON.COM

Great XML Learning Tool

Before I usually post a review, I take a look at what others have said to see if what I am about to write is in line with what the majority has said. If the majority agrees I just nod my head and move on, if they don't agree, I want to understand why what I am about to post as my review differs. It's always good to learn about the other side, another opinion, another way of thinking. When I scanned the reviews for 'Learning XML' by Erik Ray, I found that lots of people give this book a thumbs down because the author didn't provide enough "examples" in his text. The title of this book is "Learning XML" people -- LEARNING. Not a list of examples, but a way for someone to learn the languague and understand not just syntax, but how it came to be, an overview of what it entails, all in all, not just a list of examples to copy and paste.

I find Mr. Ray's book to be a very good read for anyone that is new to XML or for someone that wants to learn more about the overview of how the language works and what it aims to achieve. I find the history of technologies interesting, and when I pick up a book that says "Learning" I want more than just a cookbook of sample problems (there are plenty of books out there like that already written).

Having said all that, if you are new and want to discover the world of XML, what it can do for you, why it is so hot today, and how it came about, I recommend that you pick up this text and I am quite certain you will finish having become a better XML developer. I can find no reason why this book isn't worth your time, and I easily can recommend it.

**** RECOMMENDED

Great Beginner XML Book

For the longest time, I had heard about XML and all it could do, but never what it was. I had many misconceptions about what it did and how it worked. My little head thought that for all of the hype, it must be some super complex programming language, not something as simple as a formatted document looking very similar to HTML. When I finally figured out what XML was, I started looking online at the various sources that attempted to explain what XML was, but then they got into XPaths, XSLT, SAX and DOM, but with little to no explainations. I almost gave up on XML because I figured out how to form an XML document, but how the heck was I to get that information and make it useful?

Enter O'Reilly's Learning XML. In very clear, organized language (a common trait of almost all O'Reilly books) XML and all of it's basics were laid out before me. XSLT, XPath, XPointer, Schemas and more are all covered. The first three chapters are probably the most important to read straight through because they give you the basics of XML structure. Each subsequent chapter is organized so that you can reference them as needed to do what you need to do. The book assumes that you know nothing of XML and builds from there at a good pace. It wasn't so slow that I got bored, nor was it so fast that I felt lost.

Learning XML, Second Edition met my needs for successfully teaching me the fundamentals of XML in a non-language/platform specific manner. I would recommend to anyone with little or no knowledge of XML. From reading this book, I now feel confident incorporating XML into some of my future projects.