Binary XML

Binary XML is a generic term for the attempts to store an XML document in a binary representation rather than a pure text form.

Currently there is no uniform standard, but several competing formats, as examples are here WBXML, EBML, XBMF and EXI called. This results in that " Binary XML " depending on the user can have different meanings. So is sometimes assumed that a binary encoding of the XML document, while it comes in other cases, to store binary data in an XML file. A gzip compressed XML document can also be understood as binary XML.

The advantages of a binary representation lie in the smaller file size, the possibility of random access and indexing and easier parsing (last item, however in the "community" controversially debated ).

The disadvantage is that binary XML documents can not be easily edited in a text editor.