XML tree

An XML tree is a hierarchical data structure that represents an XML (Extensible Markup Language) document. It is a fundamental concept in understanding and processing XML data. The tree structure models the relationships between elements and attributes within an XML document.

The root of the tree is the root element of the XML document. Each element within the XML document becomes a node in the tree. Elements can contain other elements, creating a parent-child relationship in the tree.

Elements can also have attributes, which are represented as properties or characteristics associated with a specific element node. Attribute values are stored as part of the element node.

Text content within an element is represented as a text node that is a child of the element node.

The order of elements in the XML document is preserved in the XML tree structure. This means that the order in which elements appear in the XML document is reflected in the arrangement of the nodes in the tree.

Navigating an XML tree involves traversing the hierarchical structure. This can be done using various methods, such as starting from the root and moving down to child nodes, or moving from a child node to its parent node.

XML trees are used extensively in parsing, validating, transforming, and querying XML data. Various XML processing libraries and APIs provide functionalities for creating, manipulating, and querying XML trees. The Document Object Model (DOM) is a common API that represents an XML document as a tree structure in memory. Other models, like the Simple API for XML (SAX), handle XML data in a sequential, event-driven manner rather than building a complete tree in memory.