Comparative Analysis of Five XML Query Languages

TL;DR

This paper compares five XML query languages, analyzing their features and differences to understand their suitability for data extraction and restructuring in XML-based systems.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive comparison of five XML query languages, highlighting their commonalities and differences to inform future standardization efforts.

Findings

Identifies key features shared by the five languages.

Highlights differences in syntax and capabilities.

Provides insights into the suitability of each language for various XML applications.

Abstract

XML is becoming the most relevant new standard for data representation and exchange on the WWW. Novel languages for extracting and restructuring the XML content have been proposed, some in the tradition of database query languages (i.e. SQL, OQL), others more closely inspired by XML. No standard for XML query language has yet been decided, but the discussion is ongoing within the World Wide Web Consortium and within many academic institutions and Internet-related major companies. We present a comparison of five, representative query languages for XML, highlighting their common features and differences.