XPath Evaluator

XPath Evaluator


An XPath evaluator is a free online tool that allows you to evaluate XPath expressions on XML (eXtensible Markup Language) documents or structures. XPath is a query language used to navigate and select elements and data within XML documents. XPath evaluators are commonly used in XML processing, parsing, and querying tasks.

Here are some key features and functionalities typically provided by an XPath evaluator:

  • Expression Parsing: It parses and interprets XPath expressions, which are used to specify the path to the desired elements or data within an XML document.
  • Traversal: The evaluator traverses the XML document based on the XPath expression, moving from one element to another according to the path elements.
  • Selection: It selects and retrieves elements, attributes, or data that match the XPath expression.
  • Filtering: XPath allows for filtering based on specific conditions, and the evaluator applies these filters to select elements or data that meet the specified criteria.
  • Result Presentation: The evaluator typically presents the results in a structured format, such as a list of elements, values, or a structured XML sub-document.

XPath evaluators find applications in various scenarios, including:

  • XML Document Navigation: Navigating XML documents to locate specific elements or data.
  • Data Extraction: Retrieving data from XML documents for further processing.
  • XML Validation: Validating XML documents against predefined XPath patterns or criteria.
  • XPath Injection Testing: Testing applications for XPath injection vulnerabilities.

Here are some examples of XPath expressions along with descriptions of what each expression selects within an XML document:

Examples:

Consider the following XML data representing a list of books:

<library> <book> <title>Book 1</title> <author>Author 1</author> <price>12.99</price> </book> <book> <title>Book 2</title> <author>Author 2</author> <price>9.99</price> </book> <book> <title>Book 3</title> <author>Author 3</author> <price>15.95</price> </book> </library>
Select All Authors:

XPath Expression: /library/book/author

This expression selects all author elements within the library:

Author 1 Author 2 Author 3
Select Prices Below $10:

XPath Expression: /library/book[price < 10]/price

This expression selects the prices of books with a price less than $10:

9.99
Select Titles of Books by Author 2:

XPath Expression: /library/book[author = "Author 2"]/title

This expression selects the titles of books written by "Author 2":

Book 2
Select All Books with Titles Starting with "Book":

XPath Expression: /library/book[starts-with(title, "Book")]

This expression selects all books whose titles start with "Book":

<book> <title>Book 1</title> <author>Author 1</author> <price>12.99</price> </book> <book> <title>Book 2</title> <author>Author 2</author> <price>9.99</price> </book> <book> <title>Book 3</title> <author>Author 3</author> <price>15.95</price> </book>
Select the First Book:

XPath Expression: /library/book[1]

This expression selects the first book in the list:

<book> <title>Book 1</title> <author>Author 1</author> <price>12.99</price> </book>

These examples demonstrate how XPath expressions can be used to navigate and extract specific elements or data within XML documents based on various criteria. XPath is a fundamental tool for working with XML data and is widely used in XML parsing, transformation, and querying tasks. XPath evaluators make it easier to work with XPath expressions and retrieve the desired information from XML documents.

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