🔄 XSLT Transform – How to Convert XML into HTML, Text, or Other XML
🧲 Introduction – Why Learn XSLT Transform?
You’ve got structured XML data—now what? If you want to display it on a webpage, generate a report, or convert it into another XML schema, you need XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations). XSLT lets you transform XML documents into different output formats using templates, XPath queries, and built-in formatting tools.
🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How the XSLT transformation process works
- Basic syntax and structure of an XSLT stylesheet
- How to link XSLT to XML (client-side and server-side)
- Example: XML → HTML transformation
🔍 What Is XSLT Transformation?
XSLT is a rule-based transformation language. You write rules in an XSLT stylesheet that match XML elements and output HTML, text, or other XML structures.
💡 Think of XSLT as a templating engine for XML.
📄 Sample XML
<catalog>
<book id="101">
<title>Learn XSLT</title>
<author>Jane Doe</author>
</book>
</catalog>
🖼️ Basic XSLT Transformation
📁 XSLT Stylesheet (transform.xsl)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<!-- Template for root -->
<xsl:template match="/">
<html>
<body>
<h2>Book Catalog</h2>
<xsl:for-each select="catalog/book">
<div>
<h3><xsl:value-of select="title"/></h3>
<p>Author: <xsl:value-of select="author"/></p>
</div>
</xsl:for-each>
</body>
</html>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>
✅ This XSLT file transforms the XML into a styled HTML document.
🔗 Linking XML to XSL (Client-Side)
✅ Modify your XML to include this line after the <?xml version...?>:
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="transform.xsl"?>
When opened in a browser, the XML will be transformed using the linked XSL.
⚙️ XSLT Transformation Process
- XML Document – Contains the raw structured data
- XSLT Stylesheet – Contains transformation rules/templates
- XSLT Processor – Applies the stylesheet to the XML
- Output – HTML, plain text, or transformed XML
📦 Output Types Supported by XSLT
| Output Type | XSLT Example Output |
|---|---|
| HTML | Web pages generated from XML |
| Text | Emails, logs, CSV, custom text |
| XML | New XML structures (e.g., RSS, SOAP) |
Use <xsl:output method="html"/>, <xsl:output method="text"/>, or <xsl:output method="xml"/> in your stylesheet to define output format.
🧰 Server-Side XSLT Processors
| Language | Library/Tool |
|---|---|
| Java | TransformerFactory (JAXP) |
| PHP | XSLTProcessor class |
| Python | lxml.etree.XSLT |
| .NET | XslCompiledTransform |
| Node.js | xslt-processor npm module |
✅ Best Practices for XSLT Transformations
- ✔️ Always define a root template with
<xsl:template match="/"> - ✔️ Use
xsl:for-eachorxsl:apply-templatesfor loops - ✔️ Select data with XPath (
select="...") - ✔️ Set the right output type with
<xsl:output method="..."/> - ❌ Don’t use string concatenation where templates are better
📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps
XSLT transformation is the core feature that turns raw XML into usable, styled, or structured output. It works by applying template rules to XML nodes and generating output based on those rules.
🔍 Key Takeaways:
- XSLT transforms XML into HTML, plain text, or another XML
- Templates match nodes and output formatted content
- You can use it in browsers, on servers, or in build pipelines
⚙️ Real-world relevance: Used in web publishing, XML-based CMS platforms, reporting tools, PDF generation systems, and API responses.
❓ FAQs – XSLT Transform
❓ Can I transform XML into HTML with XSLT?
✅ Yes. Use XSLT templates and set the output method to html.
❓ Is XSLT transformation possible in the browser?
✅ Yes. Use <?xml-stylesheet?> and open the XML in a browser.
❓ What is the output of an XSLT transformation?
✅ It can be HTML, plain text, or another XML document.
❓ Do I need a separate file for XSLT?
✅ Typically yes, but you can also apply XSLT dynamically via code.
❓ What languages support XSLT transformation?
✅ Java, PHP, Python, .NET, JavaScript (via browser) and more.
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