The XML declaration is followed by the document’s root element, which is usually referred to as the document element. In the following example, the document element is named books: |
<?xml version=”1.0”?> <books> |
... |
</books> |
The document element is not optional; every document must have one. The following XML is legal because book elements are nested within the document element books: |
<?xml version=”1.0”?> <books> |
<book> |
... |
</book> <book> |
... |
</book> |
</books> |
The document in the next example, however, is not legal because it lacks a document element: |
<?xml version=”1.0”?> <book> |
... |
</book> <book> |
... |
</book> |
If you run the previous XML through a parser, the XML will not load properly, complaining about the non-existence of the root element. |