If you want a DOM-like API - that is, one where the XML parser turns the document into a tree of Element and Attribute nodes - then there are at least four to choose from: DOM itself, JDOM, DOM4J, and XOM. The only possible reason to use DOM is because it's perceived as a standard and is supplied in the JDK: in all other respects, the others are all superior. My own preference, for its combination of simplicity, power, and performance, is XOM.
And of course, there are other styles of processing: low-level parser interfaces (SAX and StAX), data-object binding interfaces (JAXB), and high-level declarative languages (XSLT, XQuery, XPath). Which is best for you depends on your project requirements and your personal taste.
