The design goals for XML

The design goals for XML are:

-> XML shall be straightforwardly usable over the Internet.

-> XML shall support a wide variety of applications.

-> XML shall be compatible with SGML.

-> It shall be easy to write programs which process XML documents.

-> The number of optional features in XML is to be kept to the absolute minimum, ideally zero.

-> XML documents should be human-legible and reasonably clear.

-> The XML design should be prepared quickly.

-> The design of XML shall be formal and concise.

-> XML documents shall be easy to create.

-> Terseness in XML markup is of minimal importance.