Rahul
Votes: 0Posted On: Jul 23, 2017 10:29:39
JSON and XML are two of the most commonly used formats for data sharing. When we need to send or receive data to or from a server, these languages are required for interaction. XML(eXtensible Markup Language) is derived from Standard Generalized Markup Language(SGML) and is much simpler. XML is a text-based, position independent language which gives it an edge over other languages. For many years, XML was the only choice for data sharing and transfer. XML prospered due to its openness and interportability. But the problem with XML was the absence of a similarity to the data model of any of the programming languages.
A suitable alternative to XML is JSON. JSON or Java Script Object Notation is a light weight data-interchange format. IT uses a universal data structure which is supported by mostly all the programming languages. JSON uses conventions similar to the family of C programming languages like C, C++, C# among others.
Here are some of the key comparisons between XML and JSON.
Human-Readable
Both XML and JSON are said to be human readable. But JSON is definitely easier to read than XML. JSON files, being more restrictive, makes the code simpler and much easier to read. Whereas, XML poses no such restrictions.
Processing
The processing of JSON is easier than XML. Due to a complex structure, XML takes more time to process than JSON.
Extensibility
JSON is less extensible than XML. The JSON data structure is less complex and verbose because JSON restricts the developers on the objects to be modeled. This makes the code easier to read and more predictable. XML, on the other hand, do not pose any restrictions.
Formats
JSON is a data exchange format, whereas, XML is a document exchange format.
Sharing Documents
When you want to share documents, XML is the right tool for the job. This is because it allows you to include data types like images, charts, and graphs. Additionally, XML offers options for transferring the structure, or format, of the data along with the actual data. JSON only offers options for transferring data without formatting, and only using traditional data formats. This makes XML the superior format for documents.
XML and JSON are both known for their openness and interportability. It really depends on the architectural context you are using them for. Data structures demanding more flexibility go with JSON. However, data structures needing more robustness go with XML.