This entire book is based on the premise that XML is quickly becoming an essential part of Java programming. The chapters are written to instruct you in the use of XML and Java, and other than in the introduction, they do not focus on if you should use XML. I believe that if you are a Java developer, you should use XML, without question. For this reason, if you are a Java programmer, want to be a Java programmer, manage Java programmers, or are responsible for or associated with a Java project, this book is for you. If you want to advance, want to become a better developer, want to write cleaner code, want to have projects succeed on time and under budget, need to access legacy data, need to distribute system components, or just want to know what the XML hype is about, this book is for you.

I tried to make as few assumptions about you as possible; I don’t believe in setting the entry point for XML so high that it is impossible to get started. However, I also believe that if you spent your money on this book, you want more than the basics. For this reason, I assumed only that you know the Java language and understand some server-side programming concepts (such as Java servlets and Enterprise JavaBeans™). If you have never coded Java before or are just getting started with the language, you may want to read through Learning Java, by Pat Niemeyer and Jonathan Knudsen (O’Reilly & Associates), before starting this book. I do not assume that you know anything about XML, and so I start with the basics. However, I do assume that you are willing to work hard and learn quickly; for this reason, we move rapidly through the basics so that the bulk of the book can deal with advanced concepts. Material is not repeated unless appropriate, so you may need to re-read previous sections or be prepared to flip back and forth, as previously covered concepts are used in later chapters. If you want to learn XML, know some Java, and are prepared to enter some example code into your favorite editor, you should be able to get through this book without any real problem.