PHP XML DOM (Document Object Model)
The built-in DOM parser makes it possible to process XML documents in PHP.
XML Parsing
To read and update—create and manipulate—an XML document, you will need an XML parser.
There are two basic types of XML parsers:
- Tree-based parser:
This parser transforms an XML document into a tree structure.
It analyzes the whole document, and provides access to the tree elements.
- Event-based parser:
Views an XML document as a series of events.
When a specific event occurs, it calls a function to handle it.
The DOM parser is an tree-based parser.
Look at the following XML document fraction:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<from>Jani</from>
The XML DOM sees the XML above as a tree structure:
- Level 1: XML Document
- Level 2: Root element:
<from>
- Level 3: Text element: “Jani”
The DOM XML parser functions are part of the PHP core.
There is no installation needed to use these functions.
The XML file note.xml on the right will be used in our following examples:
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<note>
<to>Tove</to>
<from>Jani</from>
<heading>Reminder</heading>
<body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>
</note>
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You know you’re working class when
your TV is bigger than your bookcase.
— Rob Beckett
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