EquiX---A Search and Query Language for XML

TL;DR

EquiX is a novel XML search language that combines querying power with simplicity, featuring a formal syntax, semantics, and an efficient polynomial evaluation algorithm, enabling effective data and meta-data querying.

Contribution

It introduces EquiX, a new XML query language with formal syntax, semantics, and an efficient polynomial evaluation algorithm, enhancing XML search capabilities.

Findings

EquiX supports pattern matching, quantification, and logical expressions.

The evaluation algorithm is polynomial under combined complexity.

EquiX automatically derives DTDs for query result documents.

Abstract

EquiX is a search language for XML that combines the power of querying with the simplicity of searching. Requirements for such languages are discussed and it is shown that EquiX meets the necessary criteria. Both a graphical abstract syntax and a formal concrete syntax are presented for EquiX queries. In addition, the semantics is defined and an evaluation algorithm is presented. The evaluation algorithm is polynomial under combined complexity. EquiX combines pattern matching, quantification and logical expressions to query both the data and meta-data of XML documents. The result of a query in EquiX is a set of XML documents. A DTD describing the result documents is derived automatically from the query.