XML in practice — evaluate the statement: “XML technology is a hybrid of document processing and database processing.” State whether the statement is correct or incorrect, considering XML’s use for both narrative documents and structured data exchange.

Introduction / Context:
XML (Extensible Markup Language) was designed to represent information in a way that is both human-readable and machine-processable. It grew out of document-centric markup (SGML) but quickly became a workhorse for data-centric exchange. This question checks whether you understand XML’s dual role spanning document processing (narrative content, publishing) and database processing (structured data interchange, query, validation).

Given Data / Assumptions:

• “Document processing” refers to composing, transforming, and publishing textual or semi-structured documents.
• “Database processing” refers to storing, validating, querying, and exchanging structured data between systems.
• XML can be validated (DTD/XSD), transformed (XSLT), and queried (XPath/XQuery), and can be persisted in databases (native XML or relational XML columns).

Concept / Approach:
XML namespaces, schemas, and transformation technologies enable workflows typical of both document and data domains. On the document side, XML is used for DocBook, TEI, Office Open XML, and publishing pipelines. On the data side, XML is used for service payloads, configuration, and archival interchange. Databases can store XML as text, as typed XML with indexes, or map it to relational structures; conversely, publishing systems can materialize styled documents from the same XML source.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider Microsoft Office Open XML or ODF: they are rich document formats in XML. Consider XML-based APIs and database columns that store XML with indexes: these use XML as structured data. The coexistence validates the “hybrid” characterization.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• “Incorrect” ignores XML’s widely documented dual usage.
• “Applies only to XHTML” is too narrow; XML’s scope is much broader than web pages.
• “True for JSON, not XML” is misleading; JSON is data-centric but lacks document-centric features like mixed content.
• “Cannot be assessed without a DTD” is false; DTDs are optional and not required to understand XML’s role.

Common Pitfalls:
Equating XML only with web pages; assuming that because JSON is popular, XML is not used for data; forgetting XML’s document roots in SGML while overlooking modern data uses.

Final Answer:
Correct