Parser Categorization

Parsers can be categorized as follows:

  • Validating parsers – Check an XML document for XML syntax rules and validate that the XML document follows the structure specified in a schema document. The data interchange environment uses validating parsers to ensure that XML documents follow a standard schema document.
  • Non-validating parsers – Check the XML document only for XML syntax rules. Non-validating parsers are faster than validating parsers because they do not validate the document against a schema document.

You can also categorize parsers according to the XML processing API they implement. For example, a parser that implements the DOM API is known as a DOM parser.

The graphic displays the two ways to categorize parsers, validating and non-validating.
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