What are good alternative data formats to XML? [closed]

Answer 1

For storing code-like data, LES (Loyc Expression Syntax) is a budding alternative. I've noticed a lot of people use XML for code-like constructs, such as build systems which support conditionals, command invocations, sometimes even loops. These sorts of things look natural in LES:

// LES code has no built-in meaning. This just shows what it looks like.
[DelayedWrite] // an "attribute"
Output(
    if version > 4.0 {
        $ProjectDir/Src/Foo;
    } else {
        $ProjectDir/Foo;
    }
);

It doesn't have great tool support yet, though; currently the only LES library is for C#. Currently only one app is known to use LES: LLLPG.

In theory you could use LES for data or markup, but there are no standards for how to do that:

body {
    '''Click here to use the World's '''
    a href="http://google.com" {
        strong "most popular"; " search engine!"
    };
};

point = (2, -3);
tasteMap = { "lemon" -> sour; "sugar" -> sweet; "grape" -> yummy };