Chapter 5. Native XML databases

The value of a standard is proportional to the square of the number of systems that use it.

rephrasing of Metcalfe’s law and the network effect as applied to standards

Have you ever wanted to perform a query on the information in a web page, a Microsoft Word document, or an Open Office presentation? Just think, if you have links in an HTML page, wouldn’t it be nice to run a query to validate that all the links are working? All of these document types have a common property referred to as mixed content (data containing text, dates, numbers, and facts). One of the challenges of using document databases is that they don’t support the use of queries on mixed content. Native XML databases, which have been around longer than other NoSQL databases, do allow queries on mixed content and as a result can support a number of security models and standardized query languages.

5.1. What is a native XML database?

5.2. Building applications with a native XML database

5.3. Using XML standards within native XML databases

5.4. Designing and validating your data with XML Schema and Schematron

5.5. Extending XQuery with custom modules

5.6. Case study: using NoSQL at the Office of the Historian at the Dep- partment of State

5.7. Case study: managing financial derivatives with MarkLogic

5.8. Summary

5.9. Further reading