Can XML be used as backend database in php instead of MySql & other databases?

Question

I am new to xml. I want to know that can xml be used as database with php language instead of other databases like mysql,Mssqlserver etc.

Answer 1

if you need direct access to your data from only a simple key.. XML can be a great way to store the data! the problems start kicking in when people want to do updates... and they don't know how to update an xml file properly... you can get into trouble!

I wrote a system that used xml as the data delivery ... we later added a database, in the rear-end (the back end of the back end)

But I would always use xml in the mid-end with a database in the back end and good old xml and html (and some simple scripts) to produce beautiful pages!

Answer 2

It's interesting that you asked about this. Yes, just like the previous answerers said, XML is just a document storage structure (file structure), not a database. There are new tools, however, out there, like MarkLogic (?) that let you perform types of sql queries against your .xml files. But this software is pretty expensive.

XML cannot readily be put into a relational database because their are fundamental underlying differences between document storage definitions and RDMSs. It actually goes all the way down to differences in set theory -- it's a really interesting subject -- I almost did my thesis in this until I got too tired ;>

Answer 3

For the frontend work I would be sure to know Javascript and, even though it is not a scripting language, be familiar with XML. Both of those are crucial for doing AJAX development. For the backend I would recommend also knowing Perl (Perl, IMHO, is the ducktape of the internet). I also know friends that are using Ruby (specifically Ruby on Rails) for web work, but none in a commercial environment yet. For data storage and retrievel, SQL is also vital. MySQL is a good server to start with. Flash should also be given a look, AJAX is now doing quite a bit of what Flash used to be used for, but it still has many uses in web development.

Answer 4

XML is data and metadata (data about data). It is not a database "engine" the way MS SQL Server is. SQL Server can store XML data (it can store any kind of data) but the main point is that it can DO something useful with that data. XML doesn't DO anything. It is simply a text file that holds your data.

Answer 5

XML is not an alternative for database. Having said that, this is the only way to build RIA web sites. So it has to be a middleware solution and they call this approach AJAX.

Answer 6

In vast majority of cases, storing data as XML is a VERY bad idea. XML is useful when you need to TRANSFER data between disparate systems...

Answer 7

NO .....

U know xml is an acronym for extensible markup language.

it is a language to describe the data ....

it is not a database .......