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What is the difference between XML and HTML?

XML (Extensible Markup Language) and HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) are both markup languages, but they serve different purposes:

XML:

  • Purpose: XML is designed to store and transport data. It focuses on what data is, rather than how it looks.
  • Structure: XML tags are not predefined; users can define their own tags. This makes XML highly flexible for various data formats.
  • Example:
    <note>
      <to>User</to>
      <from>AI</from>
      <heading>Reminder</heading>
      <body>Don't forget the meeting tomorrow!</body>
    </note>
    

HTML:

  • Purpose: HTML is used to structure and present content on the web. It focuses on how data looks when displayed in a browser.
  • Structure: HTML tags are predefined and have specific meanings in web browsers. For example, <p> defines a paragraph, and <img> defines an image.
  • Example:
    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html>
    <head>
      <title>Reminder</title>
    </head>
    <body>
      <p>Don't forget the meeting tomorrow!</p>
    </body>
    </html>
    

In summary, XML is used for data storage and transport, while HTML is used for displaying data in web browsers.

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