An XML file is an extensible markup language file that structures data for storage and transport. It is a markup language and file format for storing, transmitting, and reconstructing arbitrary data. XML defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. An XML file contains XML code and ends with the file extension ".xml". It contains tags that define not only how the document should be structured but also how it should be stored and transported over the internet. The tags provide the structure to the data, and the text in the file that you wish to store is surrounded by these tags, which adhere to specific syntax guidelines. XML is often used as the basis for other document formats, including RSS, Atom, Office Open XML, OpenDocument, SVG, COLLADA, and XHTML. XML files are compatible with Java and are completely portable, meaning you can access and transport data at any time and from any location. All kinds of applications can benefit from XML as it offers a streamlined method of accessing information.