XML requires that all XML attributes must have a value. This means all attributes have to be equal to something! Below is the correct way to create a XML attribute .

The attribe active is valid because it has value true. Here is an example of shorthand that is sometimes used in HTML, but is not valid XML.

Both the single quote ' and the double quote " are perfectly fine to use in XML documents.

The only instances when you might want to use one quotation over the other is if your attribute value contains a quotation or apostrophe of its own. Below some real world examples.

Some problems generated by using attributes

• attributes cannot contain multiple values (child elements can)



• future changes attributes are not easily expandable



• attributes cannot show the structures (child elements can)



• Nanipulating attributes are more difficult by program code



• attribute values are not easy to test against a Document Type Definition (DTD) - which is used to define the legal elements of an XML document

If you use attributes as containers for data, you end up with documents that are difficult to read and maintain. Try to use elements to describe data. Use attributes only to provide information that is not relevant to the data.

Don't end up like this (this is not how XML should be used):