XML, the Extensible Markup Language, is a W3C endorsed standard for document markup. Because of its ability to deliver portable data, XML is positioned to be a key web application technology. Given the complexity and incredible potential of this powerful markup language, it is clear that every serious developer using XML for data or text formatting and transformation will need a comprehensive, easy-to- access desktop reference in order to take advantage of XML's full potential. XML in a Nutshell will assist developers in formatting files and data structures correctly for use in XML documents. XML defines a basic syntax used to mark up data with simple, human-readable tags, and provides a standard format for computer documents. This format is flexible enough to be customized for transforming data between applications as diverse as web sites, electronic data inter-change, voice mail systems, and wireless devices, to name a few. Developers can either write their own programs that interact with, massage, and manipulate the data in XML documents, or they can use off-the-shelf software like web browsers and text editors to work with XML documents. Either choice gives them access to a wide range of free libraries in a variety of languages that can read and write XML. The XML specification defines the exact syntax this markup must follow: how elements are delimited by tags, what a tag looks like, what names are acceptable for elements, where attributes are placed, and so forth. XML doesn't have a fixed set of tags and elements that are supposed to work for everybody in all areas of interest for all time. It allows developers and writers to define the elements they need as they need them. Although XML is quite flexible in the elements it allows to be defined, it is quite strict in many other respects. XML in a Nutshell covers the fundamental rules that all XML documents and authors must adhere to, detailing the grammar that specifies where tags may be placed, what they must look like, which element names are legal, how attributes attach to elements, and much more.

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XML in a Nutshell Review,  June 23 2001
Submitted by Kwon   [Respond | View]

After reading a variety of XML books, I've found this one to be the most useful. For the price and size, you can't beat it.

As some people have pointed out, there are some ommissions, but given the developmental state of several XML standards, what can you expect?

BTW, my copy does include information about XML Schemas, although it doesn't have any dedicated chapters on it... check your index (pg 10,40,228) The information on XML Schemas is vague, but leaves the impression that they are more precise than DTDs.


XML in a Nutshell Review,  June 07 2001
Submitted by ben   [Respond | View]

The more I use this book, the more I notice its errors and ommisions. Its really very difficult to do commercial work using this book as a guide. The XPath and XSL sections have brief, patchy and inaccurate coverage.

Suggests the authors were learing XML as they wrote the book.


XML in a Nutshell Review,  April 30 2001
Submitted by Thomas Broyer   [Respond | View]



I was very impressed by chapters 6 and 7 (although HTML stuff isn't really accurate - for example, A&B; isn't the same as A&B; in SGML since an SGML parser will look for a B entity in the first case) but very disappointed by chapters 8, 9, 19 and 20 (at least ; chapters 10 to 13 aren't error-prone).

The author doesn't distinguish XPath expressions, used to select nodes, and XSLT patterns, used to match already selected nodes. Although both have a very similar syntax, they have completely different semantics. He also seems convinced that location paths are either totally abbreviated or unabbreviated whereas abbreviated syntax applies to location steps, so you may have abbreviated and unabbreviated location steps in the same location path. For all that he doesn't use unabbreviated steps in unabbreviated paths' predicates.

I'm the French translator for the second part of the book (and related reference chapters) and need to fix and tidy all th!

at mess, spending out a huge amount of time. At least French customers will have an accurate book.

I posted several serious errata and haven't received any acknowledgement or else, and all these errata have falled in the "unconfirmed" list whereas they're all confirmed by official documents. What are the authors doing?

For years, O'Reilly's books were synonymous of quality and technical accuracy. This feeling has changed during last month and I'll never buy an O'Reilly's book with my eyes shut any more.




XML in a Nutshell Review,  March 28 2001
Submitted by Ben   [Respond | View]

Overall, I found XML In a Nutshell a little dissapointing, although it does contain some very good XML reference material.

My principal complaint was that they had no coverage of XML Schema, despite the books publication date Jan 2001. The book conveyed the impression that the ageing and inadequate DTD was the one and only validation mechanism. IMO, this is a serious and misleading omission that detracts from the quality of the book.

My other concern was the seeming overlap between the reference and tutorial material for each topic, which are separately packaged in different ends of the book, but seem somewhat similar and not particularly complimentary. More annotated examples in the tutorial sections would have helped.




XML in a Nutshell Review,  March 24 2001
Submitted by thomas brennan-marquez   [Respond | View]

This book shows, again, what O'Reilly has been doing so well for years: it is concise, correct, and complete. Very easy to read and the best presentation of the XML concepts I have seen so far. If you want a desk reference, this book will suit you fine. If you are new to the whole idea of XML/XSLT/XPaths/etc. this book will walk you through the maze.


XML in a Nutshell Review,  February 25 2001
Submitted by Ryan J. Parker   [Respond | View]

XML in a Nutshell is a very good book for the beginner wanting to learn about XML. I picked up this book, read it in two days, and now feel very confident about my knowledge of XML. It is very concise and has "to the point" examples. It doesn't contain all the jabber that isn't needed.

It is also a very handy reference. With "XML in a Nutshell" and "Java and XML" by your side you can be using XML in no time!

The only downside to the book is the text errors. However, the errata picks them up nicely.

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