YouTipXML Editor
If you want to learn and use XML seriously, you will definitely benefit from using a professional XML editor.
XML is Text-Based
XML is a text-based markup language.
One important thing about XML is that it can be created and edited using simple text editors like Notepad.
However, when you start working with XML, you will quickly realize that using a professional XML editor to edit XML documents is better.
Why Not Use Notepad?
Many web developers use Notepad to edit HTML and XML documents because most common operating systems come with Notepad, and it's easy to use. Personally, I often use Notepad to quickly edit some simple HTML, CSS, and XML files.
But if you use Notepad for XML editing, you may soon discover many problems.
Notepad cannot determine the type of document you are editing, so it cannot assist your work.
Why Use an XML Editor?
Today, XML is very important technology, and development projects are using these XML-based technologies:
- Define the structure and data types of XML using XML Schema
- Transform XML data using XSLT
- Exchange XML data between applications using SOAP
- Describe network services using WSDL
- Describe network resources using RDF
- Access XML data using XPath and XQuery
- Define graphics using SMIL
To write error-free XML documents, you need an intelligent XML editor!
XML Editor
A professional XML editor will help you write error-free XML documents, validate XML according to some DTD or schema, and force you to create valid XML structures.
An XML editor should be able to:
- Automatically add end tags for start tags
- Force you to write valid XML
- Validate XML according to some DTD
- Validate XML according to some Schema
- Syntax highlighting for your XML syntax
In our tutorial, we have been using XMLSpy for years. XMLSpy is our favorite XML editor. Here are some special features we particularly like:
- Available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions
- User-friendly
- Context-sensitive helper
- Syntax coloring and beautiful printing
- Intelligent repair validation and automatic correction of errors
- Easy switching between text view and grid view
- Graphical XML Schema editor
- Import and export of all mainstream databases
- SharePoint® server support
- Built-in templates for many XML document types
- Create charts displaying XML data
- Smart auto-completion for XPath 1.0/2.0
- XSLT 1.0/2.0 editor, analyzer, and debugger
- XQuery editor, analyzer, and debugger
- SOAP client and debugger
- Graphical WSDL 1.1/2.0 editor
- XBRL validation & classification editing
- Support for Office 2007 / OOXML
- Code generation for Java, C++, and C#