Modeling Business Objects with XML Schema

In modern societies, the document is more important than what the document is about. A person without "papers" certifying her nationality doesn't have an official identity. The same is true for business. Every exchange of goods, services, or money is accompanied by documents. The definition of all these documents in the electronic business world is the goal of XML Schema, a new language standard from the W3C. The art of writing schema in a systematic way is the subject of this book. This book begins with the conceptual foundations of schema and some XML basics, and then discusses the W3C XML Schema Recommendation in detail. The discussion includes a range of best practice design patterns for schemata. Relax-NG, an alternate schema definition language is discussed, too. From the conceptual model a large example is designed and implemented in both XML Schema and Relax NG. The book describes how schemata relate to object-oriented and relational structures, and how new schemata can be derived from existing schemata (schema evolution). Finally it discusses topics typical for development in corporate environments, such as model fusion, mediation, and change management.The book concentrates on data-centric XML-document formats used for the storage and exchange of business data-rather than on the document-centric approach arising from SGML. The primary audience is schema designers. System architects, programmers, and document authors will also find useful information here. Since Schema is taking the enterprise world by storm, those educated in other technologies, such as object-oriented technology or relational technology will be coming into contact with XML. Database administrators will increasingly be involved with XML Schema. The book assumes basic knowledge of XML, and particularly XML syntax.