XQuery

XQuery, which stands for [[Extensible Markup Language|XML]] Query Language, is a powerful and versatile language designed for querying and manipulating XML data. XQuery provides functionalities to extract and manipulate data from XML documents, much like [[Structured Query Language|SQL]] does for [[Relational Database|relational databases]].

XQuery is specifically designed to query XML data. It allows you to write queries that can traverse XML documents, filter elements, sort data, and extract specific information.

XQuery is a functional programming language, meaning its design is based on and supports functional programming constructs like function composition, higher-order functions, and strong typing.

A distinctive feature of XQuery is its FLWOR (pronounced "flower") expressions, which stand for "For, Let, Where, Order by, Return". These expressions are similar to SQL clauses and provide powerful ways to query and transform XML data.

Beyond simple queries, XQuery can be used to transform XML data into other formats, such as HTML, text, or even new XML documents with different structures. XQuery leverages XPath expressions within its syntax, utilizing XPath’s ability to navigate through XML documents effectively.

XQuery is often supported by XML databases, which store data in XML format. These databases use XQuery as the primary language for querying and managing XML data. XQuery is particularly useful in scenarios where there is a need to work with complex XML data, such as in publishing, data interchange, web services, and content management systems.

XQuery includes a rich set of functions for string manipulation and full-text search, making it effective for complex text-processing tasks. XQuery can be used in conjunction with other XML-based technologies, such as [[XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations)|XSLT]] and [[XSL-FO (Formatting Objects)|XSL-FO]], for comprehensive XML data processing and transformation solutions.