A serious look at how to use XML in sophisticated real-world Web applications, Professional XML goes beyond your run-of-the-mill tutorial by giving you practical examples and techniques. The book focuses on W3C XML and the various enabling technologies that are becoming entwined with XML. It provides three threads of content, representing the different angles from which readers will approach XML. The first covers the core material, including well-formed syntax, data modeling, and the Document Object Model (DOM)--a critical programming interface to XML documents. The other two threads cover the most common usages of XML: as a data format and transport mechanism, and as a visual presentation language for human interaction. The material is aimed at Web developers who already have a handle on standard Web architectures and are looking into what XML can add to the mix. Chapters on where XML fits into eBusiness and the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) illustrate how powerfully XML can impact tomorrow's Internet-driven marketplace. Four case studies explore rather advanced applications as well. While Professional XML provides an overview of XML, it's best to read it as a secondary resource after you get the basics from a traditional primer. This fine work will then propel you to the frontiers of XML technology. --Stephen W. Plain Topics covered: XML syntax, Document Type Definitions (DTD), data modeling, Document Object Model (DOM), Simple API for XML (SAX) 1.0, namespaces, schemas, linking, XML--database integration, server to server transfers, eBusiness applications, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), and SOAP.