XML Editor

If you wish to learn and use XML seriously, you will certainly benefit from using a professional XML editor.

XML is text-based

XML is a text-based markup language.

One very important thing about XML is that it can be created and edited with a simple text editor like Notepad.

However, as you start working with XML, you will soon find that it is better to edit XML documents with a professional XML editor.

Why not use Notepad?

Many web developers use Notepad to edit HTML and XML documents, because the most common operating systems come with Notepad and it is very easy to use. Personally, I often use Notepad to quickly edit some simple HTML, CSS, and XML files.

However, if you use Notepad for XML editing, you may quickly discover quite a few problems.

Notepad cannot determine the type of document you are editing, so it cannot assist you in your work.

Why use an XML editor?

Today, XML is a very important technology, and development projects are using these XML-based technologies:

  • Use XML Schema to define the structure and data types of XML
  • Use XSLT to transform XML data
  • Use SOAP to exchange XML data between applications
  • Use WSDL to describe web services
  • Use RDF to describe web resources
  • Use XPath and XQuery to access XML data
  • Use SMIL to define graphics

In order to be able to write error-free XML documents, you need an intelligent XML editor!

XML Editor

Professional XML editors help you write error-free XML documents, validate XML against a 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 against a DTD
  • Validate XML against a Schema
  • Color-code your XML syntax
XMLSPY

At Example, we have been using XMLSpy for many years. XMLSpy is our favorite XML editor. Here are some features we particularly like:

  • Available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions
  • Easy to use
  • Context-sensitive helper
  • Syntax coloring and pretty printing
  • Intelligent validation and automatic error correction
  • Easy switching between text view and grid view
  • Graphical XML Schema editor
  • Database import/export for all major databases
  • SharePoint® server support
  • Built-in templates for many XML document types
  • Chart creation for displaying XML data
  • Intelligent 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 & taxonomy editing
  • Office 2007 / OOXML support
  • Code generation for Java, C++, and C#
  • HTML5 and CSS3 support

Learn more about XMLSpy

XMLSpy is one of six tools in the Altova MissionKit® XML software suite.
Learn more about Altova MissionKit for XML development.


Other extensions