XML

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) connector bridges the gap between hierarchical data formats and analytical workflows. It allows users to query .xml files — such as configuration exports, industry data feeds, or enterprise system integrations — using standard SQL without manual parsing, transformation, or XPath scripting.

At its core, the connector treats XML documents as structured datasets, automatically mapping elements, attributes, and nested hierarchies into tabular form. When you query an XML file, the connector flattens its tree-like structure into relational rows and columns, preserving parent-child relationships and data types. This transformation turns what’s typically a deeply nested, self-describing format into data your query engine can reason about.

This connector is designed for both flexibility and fidelity. With minimal configuration, you can unlock XML files for validation, reporting, or integration with other systems. Yet, for advanced use cases — such as handling namespaces, selective element extraction, or custom schema mapping — you can fine-tune behavior using detailed options that control how Metaform interprets, flattens, and joins XML data structures.