Why is XML Ideal for Integrated Content Management?
XML, which stands for eXtensible Markup Language, is fast becoming the new standard for data representation and exchange on the Internet. Whereas HTML was designed to display static pages, XML was created to support the generation of dynamic pages i.e. pages containing information from databases on the Web server, from corporate back office applications, other websites or data feeds. This makes it the ideal technology for Integrated Content Management.
XML’s success in being almost universally adopted and supported by the IT industry is due to four factors:
- Open Standard. XML is an extension of HTML, both international standards published and maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). As such, it has the backing of all the major industry players, including HP, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Sun.
- Holds the Meaning of Content. Whereas HTML is concerned only with cosmetic layout, XML holds the meaning of data. This enables computer applications to operate more intelligently when exchanging data or indexing or searching for data.
- Flexible Structure. XML also defines the relationship between data elements as a flexible tree structure. Unlike a conventional database, nodes in the structure can be extended wherever needed, akin to adding new folders within a PC file structure.
- Metalanguage. XML is a language that can describe many other languages. This means that documents described in XML can be converted to many other formats, including HTML (for Web browsers), WML (for wireless devices) and PDF (for printed documents).
How Does CompleteContent Exploit XML?
CompleteContent makes extensive use of XML right the way through to the very core of the product:
- Patterns. The basic functionality of software patterns is described using XML. The inherent extensibility of XML supports the process of shaping and adapting existing software patterns to create new ones. This has aided both internal product development as well as providing the means to rapidly develop highly customised solutions from CompleteContent patterns.
- Content Items. Since all content items are held in XML, content structures are flexible and extensible. All structures are user-defined and can be tailored to exact requirements. In addition, the system infrastructure readily embraces any other structured content from around the organisation e.g. external databases, data feeds, PC documents etc.
- Presentation Templates. Page templates are constructed from XML template elements, again to exact requirements. These are then rendered in the chosen deployment medium - HTML for the web, WML for wireless applications and PDF for printed documents.
- Resources. All other internal resources are held in XML - link definitions, content queries, website structures etc. Resources sourced from external applications, such as graphical images, are described and documented in XML. The pervasive use of XML allows new types of resources to be readily incorporated within a consistent architecture and user interface.
A Future Proof Solution?
The IT industry is littered with technology inventions that proclaimed the future only to be swiftly consigned to history. However, there are strong arguments for investing in XML-based solutions that minimise the risk of premature obsolescence:
- Protection of Assets. The investment of content in the system - analyses, business intelligence, contacts, evidence, experience, finance, know-how, historical records etc - will build assets of considerable value that you will wish to protect. Having these held in XML (rather than some closed proprietary architecture) enables easy exchange with other systems, including migration to future technologies such as digital TV.
- Evolving Standards. CompleteContent has been designed not only to comply with the latest Internet standards itself, but also to ensure that generated websites and user applications are compliant. Today, the emerging standard is XHTML and websites generated using CompleteContent are automatically compliant. As standards evolve, since both content and presentation templates are held in XML, CompleteContent is capable of generating pages to other standards. Websites can thus be kept in line with new standards without any maintenance overhead.
- Future Interoperability. Web Services and SOAP (the Simple Object Access Protocol) technology provides the means to overcome the problems in integrating applications across different computer operating systems and programming languages. CompleteContent’s use of XML will enable applications to take advantage of the power of Web Services and SOAP to attain, perhaps for the first time, seamless business processes across technical boundaries.
