HTML vs XML

Both use tags in angle brackets, and both end in “Markup Language”, so they look alike. But they do opposite jobs: one shows data to people, the other describes data for computers.

1The same data, two ways

Showing data vs carrying data

Play it, or step through. Drag sideways to turn.

Press ▶ Play to send the same data two ways.

HTML

<h1>Aman</h1>
<p>Class 12 · Marks: 91</p>

XML

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<result>
  <student>
    <name>Aman</name>
    <class>12</class>
    <marks>91</marks>
  </student>
</result>

2The differences

	HTML	XML
Full form	HyperText Markup Language	Extensible Markup Language
Purpose	Displays data — how it looks	Stores and transports data — what it is
Tags	Predefined: only the language's own tags	User-defined: you create your own tags
Case	Not case-sensitive	Case-sensitive
Closing tags	Browsers forgive a missing one; some tags have none	Every tag must be closed, or the document is rejected
CBSE's word for it	Static	Dynamic

Static and dynamic, in CBSE's marking schemes

CBSE’s answers call HTML “static” and XML “dynamic”. They mean HTML is about fixed presentation of a page, while XML is about data that is carried between programs and changes. Use the words if you like, but the safest differences to write are the first three rows: purpose, tags and case.

3From the board papers

Give one difference between XML and HTML.CBSE sample paper 2023-24

1 mark

▶Show the answer

HTML uses predefined tags and is used to display data; XML lets us define our own tags and is used to store and transport data. (CBSE’s marking scheme also accepts: HTML is not case-sensitive, XML is.)

Write two points of difference between XML and HTML.CBSE sample paper 2022-23 · “Differentiate between HTML and XML”, board exam 2022 (Term 2)

2 marks

▶Show the answer

XML tags are not predefined, they are user-defined; HTML tags are predefined.
XML stores and transports data; HTML is about displaying data.

CBSE’s marking scheme lists these, and static (HTML) vs dynamic (XML).

4Check yourself

Quick Check

A bank sends a list of transactions to another bank's computer so it can process them. Which is the better fit?

Quick Check

Which statement is true?

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