Key Difference Between SAX and DOM Parsing in XML

Focus Keyword: SAX vs DOM Parsing in XML

When it comes to XML parsing, the key difference between SAX (Simple API for XML) and DOM (Document Object Model) lies in their approach to processing and handling XML data.

SAX Parsing:

• SAX parsing is event-based and allows for streaming processing of XML documents.
• It reads the XML data sequentially from start to end, triggering events like element start, element end, and character data.
• SAX parsing is memory-efficient and suitable for large XML files as it does not store the entire document in memory.

DOM Parsing:

• DOM parsing creates a tree structure of the entire XML document in memory, allowing random access to any part of the document.
• It loads the entire XML document into memory, making it easier to navigate and manipulate the data.
• DOM parsing is suitable for smaller XML files where the entire document can be loaded into memory without causing performance issues.

Therefore, the decision to use SAX or DOM parsing in XML depends on the specific requirements of the application, such as the size of the XML data, the need for random access, and memory constraints.