XPath (XML Path Language) is language for addressing parts of an XML document, designed to be used by both XSLT and XPointer. It also provides basic facilities for manipulation of strings, numbers and booleans. XPath uses a compact, non-XML syntax. XPath operates on the abstract, logical structure of an XML document, rather than its surface syntax.
XPath (XML Path Language) is the result of an effort to provide a common syntax and semantics for functionality shared between XSL Transformations XSLT and XPointer.
The primary purpose of XPath is to address parts of an XML document. In support of this primary purpose, it also provides basic facilities for manipulation of strings, numbers and booleans. XPath uses a compact, non-XML syntax to facilitate use of XPath within URIs and XML attribute values. XPath operates on the abstract, logical structure of an XML document, rather than its surface syntax.
XPath gets its name from its use of a path notation as in URLs for navigating through the hierarchical structure of an XML document.
