XML databases store data XML formatted documents. The data can be retrieved via query, updated and edited, removed or returned to the database. Extensible Markup Language (XML) is readable by both humans and computers, making it, at times, more convenient than relational databases that may require extensive knowledge to interpret. Also, metadata is more frequently available as XML. A database may be capable of housing XML as well as other formats of data.
To qualify for inclusion in the XML Database category, a product must:
Provide data storage
Organize data in an XML document model
Allow users to retrieve, edit, return, or remove data