This document evaluates XML, optionally compressed with gzip, with respect to the XML Binary Characterization Properties identified by the XML Binary Characterization Working Group. Some properties are accompanied by notes clarifying aspects of the evaluation or details of the property measurement.
| Property | XML+gzip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MUST support | ||
| Directly Readable and Writable | Yes | The XML format itself satisfies this property, but naturally any generic compression applied to a file format requires creating the intermediate form first. |
| Transport Independence | Yes | |
| Compactness | No | XML and gzip cannot take advantage of schema information, so this format fails in the Schema and Both classes. By definition, it succeeds in the Document class and fails in the Neither class (due to the different requirements, in the Neither class, it would have to be smaller than itself). |
| Human Language Neutral | Yes | |
| Platform Neutrality | Yes | |
| Integratable into XML Stack | Yes | |
| Royalty Free | Yes | |
| Fragmentable | Yes | |
| Streamable | Yes | |
| Roundtrip Support | Yes | The equivalence is exact in both cases. |
| Generality | No | The measurement value is 10/20. |
| Schema Extensions and Deviations | Yes | |
| Format Version Identifier | Yes | Both XML and gzip include an identifier in the header. |
| Content Type Management | Yes | |
| Self Contained | Yes | |
| MUST NOT Prevent | ||
| Processing Efficiency | Prevents | |
| Small Footprint | Does Not Prevent | |
| Widespread Adoption | Does Not Prevent | Both XML and gzip have been widely adopted and included in many protocol standards. |
| Space Efficiency | Prevents | |
| Implementation Cost | Does Not Prevent | |
| Forward Compatibility | Does Not Prevent |