Understanding XML and its Impact on Healthcare
XML, or eXtensible Markup Language, is the next evolutionary step in markup languages. XML tags describe what the information actually is rather than merely what it looks like. For example, in HTML, an order for a shirt would be labeled as boldface, paragraph, column and row. XML, however, would label it as price, size, color and quantity. A program would then be able to recognize the information as such and thus be able to manipulate the data much more easily.
In addition, as a meta-markup language, XML gives an author the power to create their own set of tags as they are needed. Although not required by the XML standard, Document Type Definition (DTD) allows authors to codify the vocabulary and syntax that they wish to use.
XML can, therefore, be used to describe information from any domain or industry. Various disciplines, such as chemistry, astronomy and mathematics, have already begun to develop their own domain-specific markup languages.
Next: XML in Healthcare