XML — XSLT

What is XSLT?

XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) transforms XML into other formats like HTML or text.

Basic XSLT

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
    <xsl:template match="/">
        <html>
            <body>
                <xsl:for-each select="catalog/book">
                    <h2><xsl:value-of select="title"/></h2>
                    <p><xsl:value-of select="author"/></p>
                </xsl:for-each>
            </body>
        </html>
    </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

Key XSLT Elements

Element	Description
template	Match and process nodes
value-of	Output text content
for-each	Loop over nodes
if	Conditional output
choose/when/otherwise	Switch-like logic
sort	Sort nodes

Applying XSLT

<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="transform.xslt"?>

Conditional Logic

<xsl:if test="price > 30">
    <p>Expensive book</p>
</xsl:if>

Choosing

<xsl:choose>
    <xsl:when test="price > 50">Premium</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="price > 20">Standard</xsl:when>
    <xsl:otherwise>Budget</xsl:otherwise>
</xsl:choose>

Mini Practice

Create an XSLT to convert XML to HTML
Use for-each to loop
Add conditional output
Sort the output

Up Next

Continue with DTD — Document Type Definitions.

Frequently Asked Questions about XSLT

What is XSLT in XML?

XSLT is a fundamental concept in XML. This lesson explains it step by step with clear examples, making it easy for beginners to understand.

How do I learn XSLT?

Start by reading the explanation above, then try the code examples. Practice by modifying the examples and experimenting with different values. Hands-on practice is the best way to learn XSLT.

Why is XSLT important in XML?

XSLT is essential for XML development. Understanding this concept will help you write better code and solve real-world problems more effectively.