computer science

XSL

XSL is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand XSL rather than just read about it. In short: In computing, the term Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) is used ambiguously to refer to the languages XSLT and XSL-FO which are used to transform and render XML documents (e.g., XSLT is used to determine how to display a XML document as a webpage). XSL Transformation (XSLT): an XML language for transforming XML documents XSL Formatting Objects (XSL-FO): an XML language for specifying the visual formatting of an…

Key takeaways

XSL belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect XSL to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of XSL from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In computing, the term Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) is used ambiguously to refer to the languages XSLT and XSL-FO which are used to transform and render XML documents (e.g., XSLT is used to determine how to display a XML document as a webpage).

XSL Transformation (XSLT): an XML language for transforming XML documents XSL Formatting Objects (XSL-FO): an XML language for specifying the visual formatting of an XML document. It's an intermediary format which can be used when transforming from XML with XSLT to a print format like PDF. Using XSL-FO usually implies using XSLT too.

History XSL began as an attempt to bring the functionality of DSSSL, particularly in the area of print and high-end typesetting, to XML. In response to a submission from Arbortext, Inso, and Microsoft, a W3C working group on XSL started operating in December 1997, with Sharon Adler and Steve Zilles as co-chairs, with James Clark acting as editor (and unofficially as chief designer), and Chris Lilley as the W3C staff contact. The group released a first public Working Draft on 18 August 1998. XSLT became W3C Recommendations on 16 November 1999. XSL-FO reached Recommendation status in October 2001 but the specification was just called XSL despite only actually describing XSL-FO. However it claims XSL to consist of two parts and calls XSLT the other.

Abstract This specification defines the features and syntax for the Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL), a language for expressing stylesheets. It consists of two parts: 1. a language for transforming XML documents (XSLT), and 2. an XML vocabulary for specifying formatting semantics.

An XSL stylesheet specifies the presentation of a class of XML documents by describing how an instance of the class is transformed into an XML document that uses the formatting vocabulary. XSL-FO 1.1 came out in December 2006 and again the specification was called just XSL 1.1. In January 2007 the XSLT 2.0 specifications released.. The XSL-FO 2.0 Working Draft never became a finalized standard.

References

See also XSLT XSL Formatting Objects XPath

External links "XSL language definition". "Extensible Stylesheet Language". Archived from the original on 2008-07-12. Retrieved 2003-11-28. Holman, G. Ken (2002-03-20). "What is XSL-FO". XML.com. O'Reilly Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-09-01. tutorial and reference of XSLT and XSL-FO XML Focus Topics: CSS, XSL, XSL-FO Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine IBM XSL Formatting Objects Composer Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with XSL

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what XSL claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to XSL before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about XSL ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of XSL

In research: XSL appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses XSL in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: XSL is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 1998, Markup languages, Stylesheet languages, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for XSL outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study XSL in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what XSL means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain XSL out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is XSL in simple terms?

Why does XSL matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study XSL?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on XSL.

XSL