Ever stumbled upon a file ending in '.xml' and wondered what it was? Don't worry, you're not alone! XML, or Extensible Markup Language, is essentially a way to store and transport data in a format that's both human-readable and machine-readable. Think of it like a universal language for computers to exchange information.
Unlike HTML, which focuses on *displaying* data, XML is all about *describing* it. It uses tags (like `<book>`, `<title>`, `<author>`) to define data elements and their relationships. This makes it incredibly versatile, suitable for everything from configuring software to representing complex data structures.
While you probably won't directly interact with XML files daily, they're a crucial part of the digital world, quietly facilitating data exchange behind the scenes. So, next time you see an XML file, remember it's just a structured way of organizing information for computers to understand!
