XSLT

XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) is a language for transforming XML documents. It allows the conversion of XML data into various formats, such as HTML, text, or other XML structures, by defining rules and templates that alter the structure and content of the source document.

A central aspect of XSLT is the use of stylesheets. An XSLT stylesheet contains a collection of templates that specify how certain elements and attributes in the XML document should be transformed. These templates are selected using XPath expressions, which identify specific nodes in the XML document.

Another important aspect of XSLT is its ability to perform complex transformations, including changing the order of elements, creating new elements, and combining data from different parts of the source document. XSLT also supports conditions and loops, making transformations flexible and dynamic.

XSLT is often used in web applications, data integration, and content management systems. It enables the separation of data and presentation, facilitating the maintenance and reuse of code. By transforming XML data into HTML, dynamic web pages can be generated that are consistently displayed across various devices and platforms.

In summary, XSLT is a powerful language for transforming XML documents. By using stylesheets and templates, XSLT allows the flexible conversion of XML data into various output formats, making it an indispensable tool for developers and IT professionals working with XML.