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XML Linking Language (XLink)

Create links from one XML document to another

Contributors: W3C

Summary: XML Linking Language (XLink) is a generic framework for expressing links in XML documents, to complete its placement in hypertext systems such as the Web. It can be used to create simple links, such as those that are an essential part of HTML documents, or more complex types of links, such as multiended links and link databases.

Date: 25 Apr 2007 (Published 06 Feb 2007)
Level: Intermediate

Activity: 2657 views
Comments:

XML Linking Language (XLink) is a generic framework for expressing links in XML documents, to complete its placement in hypertext systems such as the Web. It can be used to create simple links, such as those that are an essential part of HTML documents, or more complex types of links, such as multiended links and link databases.

XML Linking Language (XLink) Version 1.0 [W3C Recommendation] provides a generic framework for expressing links in XML documents. Hypertext, which requires linking, is the foundation of the Web, and adding sophisticated linking abilities has always been expected to be a cornerstone of XML. In fact, XLink was originally called "XML Part 2." Unfortunately, defining a linking system for XML has proven to be far more complex than doing so for a static vocabulary such as HTML. XLink was developed through a long process that was charged with discord. For example, the developers of XHTML decided not to use XLink and instead created their own system called HLink [in development]. Even now, a couple of years after its completion, adoption of XLink has been slow. There is work in progress on XML Linking Language (XLink) Version 1.1 [in development]. The enhancements include making some of the annotations optional, and allowing Internationalized Resource Identifiers (IRIs) as opposed to plain Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs).

Nevertheless, XLink is important for being at the center of many important XML-related projects, and it allows for much richer linking than basic, one-way HTML links. XLink offers simple links, more complex links that can have multiple end points (extended links), and even links that are not expressed in the linked documents, but rather in special hub documents (called linkbases).

Resources

Brett McLaughlin provides a first look at XLink in Tip: How to use XLink with XML (developerWorks, February 2002).
ZVON provides separate tutorials on XLink simple links and extended links.
Read about other XML standards: Index of XML standards.
Participate in any of several XML-centered forums: XML zone discussion forums.
Get involved in the developerWorks community: developerWorks blogs
Find out how you can become an IBM-Certified Developer in XML and related technologies at IBM XML certification.
See the developerWorks XML Zone for a wide range of technical articles and tips, tutorials, standards, and IBM Redbooks at XML technical library.
Stay current with technology in these sessions: developerWorks technical events and webcasts.
Build your next development project with trial software available for download directly from developerWorks: IBM trial software

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