Difference Between HTML and XML: Find the Right Language for You

While HTML and XML often work in tandem, each has a specific set of functions, allowing it to perform different web design and development aspects. When building a website or related web content, deciding whether to use HTML and XML will depend on the needs of your project. Explore the difference between HTML and XML and the advantages and disadvantages of each to choose the right one for your purposes. 

What is HTML?

Developers and programmers typically use Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) to design web pages and applications. Every website uses HTML. As you might imagine, HTML is a helpful tool to use and navigate. HTML allows you to design static web pages and present data in ways everyone can understand. HTML provides the fundamental framework for websites, and many programs, technologies, and applications interface with HTML code to enhance web design and enable advantage functionality on web pages.

As the name suggests, HTML combines Hypertext and Markup language. Hypertext language consists of the links between web pages or parts of a document, while Markup language creates and defines each web page's structure. By using both together, you can create websites users can navigate easily. 

Features of HTML

Users may consider HTML an intuitive coding language that novice coders can easily understand and use. Web developers often use HTML with other software, such as JavaScript and Backend, to create aesthetic and functional web pages. 

HTML has several notable features, including these:

• Can help optimise searchability for websites (specific to HTML5)

• Provides hyperlinks between web pages within a site

• Can run on any operating system

• Enables images, videos, and sounds to be included in web pages

• Easily integrates with other scripting languages

• Has easily modifiable code

• Can ignore minute errors

• Is not case-sensitive

• Has predefined tags

• Provides native object support

• Does not carry data

Advantages of HTML

HTML is a format-driven language, which makes it incredibly useful for designing and presenting text layouts. HTML is a widely used language, and several features are built into it to make it more forgiving for novice users. For example, HTML is not case-sensitive and can read over minor coding errors without disrupting the program. HTML also includes many predefined tags, which allow you to create a website with content and layouts suited to your needs. Because HTML is the basis of all programming languages, so by understanding it, you can develop a strong foundation when expanding your programming and software development skills.

Another benefit of HTML is that it is a free language. You can also write it on various applications, such as text editors and notepad. It widens the availability of HTML worldwide and allows code to be written without additional software or applications. You can easily combine HTML with other programs, which expands its capabilities.

Disadvantages of HTML

HTML is inherently a static language for creating static web pages. Coding in HTML can take a long time and may require a high volume of text to develop singular pages. You must edit the HTML code for each web page individually because it is not a centralised code. Depending on the level of security needed by your website, you may find that XML can offer increased security measures.  

What is XML?

XML, known as Extensible Markup Language, is a markup language that formats, transports, and reconstructs data. This dynamic language focuses on transporting and storing data rather than displaying it. Because of its primary function, XML is hardware-independent and easily readable by computers and humans. XML can represent data and is easily customisable to your purposes based on its ability to create tags in any natural language. 

Features of XML

Like HTML, many users utilise XML, which focuses on simplicity, usability, and generality. Its features reflect this purpose, and XML is widely customisable. Critical elements of XML include the following:

• Provides a framework to define a markup language

• Is independent of software and hardware

• Has user-defined tags

• Transports data to database

• Preserves white space

• Is dynamic in nature

• Is compatible with reading machines

• Stores data in plain text format

Advantages of XML

One of XML's main advantages is that it can easily store and transport data. This increases data availability and its ability to be shared across platforms. Many users consider XML easy to learn and code, enhancing its accessibility. You can customise your code based on your needs, including creating tags. XML is also compatible with Java, which further enhances its use.

Disadvantages of XML

Depending on your needs, you might discover several disadvantages to XML. For example, if you need to display data, then a major disadvantage of XML is that it transports and stores data rather than being a presentation language. In addition, XML is more demanding than HTML, and errors in code are less forgiving in this language. 

Key differences between HTML and XML

Both are markup languages, but they have widely different functions. By nature, XML is data-storing and transporting software, while HTML is used to present and display information. These functionality differences lead to many key differences in their functions. For example, HTML has several predefined tags you can use to create websites that fit your needs, while XML requires you to create tags in the language of your choice. XML is also a dynamic program because of the need to transport data, while HTML is a static program, thanks to its primary function of displaying data. In line with this, HTML is presentation-driven and focuses on the appearance of text, while XML is content-driven and does not include formatting options.

HTML has several features that make it more appropriate for beginners. For example, HTML is not case-sensitive and automatically ignores minor coding errors. XML is case-sensitive and will not run if errors exist. HTML does not need strict closing tags, while XML does. HTML also ignores whitespaces and nesting, while XML preserves white spaces and relies on proper nesting syntax. 

How to determine the right web development language for you

Deciding which language is right for you will depend on the function of your program. 

XML may suit your purposes if you store and transport data. HTML may be more suitable if you display text and integrate media into your web page. 

HTML and XML are valuable tools for designing a web application. Many programmers use HTML and XML to create dynamic web pages with aesthetic displays that users can easily navigate. Neither program replaces the other, but both have similar functionality and ease of use.

Next steps

To learn more about HTML and XML, consider courses on Coursera designed to build your knowledge and help you gain job-ready skills. Start by taking courses from top universities, such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers from John Hopkins University. For more in-depth training, consider taking a specialisation such as Web Design for Everybody: Basics of Web Development & Coding Specialisation at the University of Michigan.