Shuffling and dealing with the XML file is a day-to-day task for developers, particularly in data transfer, configuration settings, and website development. However, these files are not easy to handle. Often having a load of tags, attributes, and data structures. Here is the place where XML highlighter tools come in the frame. These tools perform efficiently and help you declutter and organise the XML files.These tools help format and highlight the content of an XML file in an easily readable way by applying colours and formatting the various segments of the file. It also assists in tasks like reading, debugging, and understanding the data and texts.
In this blog, we will discuss the XML highlighter, its concept, its importance, and how you can use varied tools to enhance the efficiency of the XML reading. We will also enlist some of the best XML highlighters that can be used for XML syntax highlighting, as well as, highlighting text in other files like a PDF.
Before we discuss more, let us understand what XML is. XML stands for the Extensible Markup Language, which is the primary tool used for storing and transporting data. It is very much different from HTML. The core feature of XML is to make data readable for the machine.
Since XML files are of a verbose nature, they are tough to read and understand, particularly when they have a complex and nested structure, especially for individuals who are not technically inclined. An XML highlighting tool utilises syntax highlighting to make the code seamless to scan and interpret by color-coded tags, properties, values, and textual information in different way
Here are a plethora of reasons that will motivate you to use the XML highlighter tool to sort your files.
XML files are a congested space of nested tags and large data/information files. When you open these files as plain text, you might have a hard time distinguishing between the data, tags, and attributes. To eliminate this problem, you can use the XML highlight text tool, as it will highlight different elements in different color codes to make out the difference easily.
Errors in XML files are prevalent, especially in complicated file structures. An XML highlighter tool graphically separates errors such as misplaced tags, unclosed components, and incorrect syntax. XML syntax highlighting allows you to rapidly identify and fix problems without having to read through the full code manually.
Proper punctuation and layout are required for XML files. An XML highlighter generally includes capabilities for properly formatting and indenting your XML code. This improves legibility while also ensuring that your XML content has a consistent syntax.
Many XML highlighter programs allow users to adjust the color palettes to their liking. This allows programmers, as well as, designers to spend time in visually comfortable surroundings, increasing productivity.
XML syntax highlighting is the core feature that will be found in numerous XML highlighting tools. It contributes a great deal to improving the readability of the XML files. It boosts readability by assigning different colours to different elements, making it easier to differentiate.
These tags are usually highlighted in blue or purple to distinguish them from the file content.
Attributes and tags that are listed in the file are often highlighted in green, red, or one such colour to highlight the attribute.
Values designated for attributes are normally surrounded by quotation marks and may be emphasised in a distinct colour, such as orange or bright green.
The data that is vested in between these tags and attributes is often left unhighlighted to cast a clear difference between other elements and the text. It helps in understanding and analysing the data better.
Here are some of the highlighting tools that you need to know to declutter your XML sheet.
Notepad++ is one of the efficient tools for the XML syntax highlighting. It has some effective features like easy navigation, auto-completion, and a user-friendly interface, making it one of the preferred tools to work with.
Visual Studio Code (VSC) is another state-of-the-art XML highlighting tool in the row that makes the highlighting seamless. Though it does not have the features to support XML itself, you can use it by adding extensions like "XML tools" to make it compatible with the XML files.
Adobe Acrobat Reader provides a powerful capability for colouring text in PDF documents. While it is essentially a PDF reader, you can use notes and accents to emphasise specific portions.
PDFescape is a free online PDF editor that lets you colour text, add remarks, and additionally complete surveys in PDF documents. If you deal with PDFs that include information in XML or other types of complex structure, this application will allow you to effortlessly highlight critical areas.
1: Open the XML file you want to highlight.
2: These tools will apply Syntax to your file, such as tags, attributes, and values.
3: Select the formatting and beautifying option (if available in the tool).
4: Customise the colour and begin the process.
An XML highlighter is an extremely useful tool for everyone who frequently deals with XML files. Whether you are debugging code, looking across complicated information, or modifying the settings files, an XML highlighter online can aid by making the material more readable. Tools like Notepad++, Visual Studio Code, and online platforms like CodeBeautify provide good options for highlighting XML content and syntax.
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