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21 Mar 2001, USA

Hi,

Can you list the advantages and disadvantages of XML over EDI?

Thanks,

Raj

Dear Raj:

XML stands for extensible mark-up language and is a flexible way to share information formats over the web. XML was specifically designed with for the web. For more information, take a look at the definition of XML at whatis.com.

EDI stands for electronic data interchange. It is a much older format designed for sharing data between computers. EDI was designed before the world wide web came into popular use and so is not a web specific format. For more information, take a look at the whatis.com definition of EDI.

All other things being equal, XML is simpler and better suited for the web. For most modern applications, I think it is better. On the other hand, if you are a small business and your biggest customer prefers you use EDI, there are clearly advantages to using EDI!

Good luck,

Dr. Ecommerce