XML Database Products

1.0 Introduction
1.1 XML and Databases
1.2 Product Categories
1.3 Terminology
1.4 Disclaimer
1.5 Copyrights, Trademarks, etc.
2.0 Product Index
2.1 Middleware
2.2 XML-Enabled Databases
2.3 Native XML Databases
2.4 XML Servers
2.5 Content Management Systems
2.6 Discontinued Products
3.0 Related Products
3.1 XML Query Engines
3.2 XML Data Binding
4.0 Additional Links
5.0 Comments and Questions
5.1 Suggested Products

1.0 Introduction

In this Web page, I have tried to capture the current state of the market for XML database products. These are gathered from Web sites, product reviews, XML webzines, XML resource guides, and email from product users and developers.

1.1 XML and Databases

Although complete description of how to use XML with databases is beyond the scope of this page (see instead "XML and Databases"), a brief review will help you choose what product is right for you.

XML documents fall into two broad categories: data-centric and document-centric. Data-centric documents are those where XML is used as a data transport. They include sales orders, patient records, and scientific data. Their physical structure -- the order of sibling elements, whether data is stored in attributes or PCDATA-only elements, whether entities are used -- is often unimportant. A special case of data-centric documents is dynamic Web pages, such as online catalogs and address lists, which are constructed from known, regular sets of data. Document-centric documents are those in which XML is used for its SGML-like capabilities, such as in user's manuals, static Web pages, and marketing brochures. They are characterized by irregular structure and mixed content and their physical structure is important.

To store and retrieve the data in data-centric documents, what kind of software you need will depend on how well structured your data is. For highly structured data, such as the white pages in a telephone book, you will need an XML-enabled database that is tuned for data storage, such as a relational or object-oriented database, and some sort of data transfer software. This may be built in to the database (in which case the database is said to be XML-enabled) or might be third-party software, such as middleware or an XML server. If your data is semi-structured, such as the yellow pages in a telephone book or health data, you have two choices. You can try to fit your data into a well-structured database, such as a relational database, or you can store it in a native XML database, which is designed to handle semi-structured data.

To store and retrieve document-centric documents, you will need a native XML database or content management system. (Some XML-enabled databases provide native storage as well.) These are designed to store content fragments, such as procedures, chapters, and glossary entries, and may include document metadata, such as author names, revision dates, and document numbers. Content management systems generally have additional functionality, such as editors, version control, and workflow control. Although content management systems generally use a native XML database for storage, this is hidden from the user.

1.2 Product Categories

I have divided products into the following categories. Please note that the boundaries between some of these categories are somewhat arbitrary.

· Middleware: Software you call from your application to transfer data between XML documents and databases. For data-centric applications.

· XML-Enabled Databases: Databases with extensions for transferring data between XML documents and themselves. Primarily for data-centric applications.

· Native XML Databases: Databases that store XML in "native" form, generally as some variant of the DOM mapped to an underlying data store. This includes the category formerly known as persistent DOM (PDOM) implementations.For data- and document-centric applications.

· XML Servers: XML-aware J2EE servers, Web application servers, integration engines, and custom servers. Some of these are used to build distributed applications while others are used simply to publish XML documents to the Web. Includes the category formerly known as XML application servers. For data- and document-centric applications.

· Content Management Systems: Applications built on top of native XML databases and/or the file system for content/document management. Include features such as check-in/check-out, versioning, and editors. For document-centric applications.

· XML Query Engines: Standalone engines that can query XML documents. For data- and document-centric applications.

· XML Data Binding: Products that can bind XML documents to objects. Some of these can also store/retrieve objects from the database. For data-centric applications.

· Discontinued products: Products that appear to be discontinued, since I can no longer find entries for them on the Web.

Except for content management systems, you will need to write code to integrate these products with your applications, although XML servers generally require more scripting and less code than the other categories. You will need to configure content management systems, which may be a non-trivial task in itself.

1.3 Terminology

The term template is described in section 5.2.1, "Template-Based Query Languages" of "XML and Databases". The terms table-based mapping and object-relational mapping are described in "Mapping DTDs to Databases".

1.4 Disclaimer

The product summaries in this Web site are not guaranteed to be complete, accurate, or up-to-date. You should use them as a starting point for your own research. Product summaries that have been written by the company are clearly labeled as "From the Web site" or "From the company". I have written all other summaries myself. I have not used any of these products except my own (XML-DBMS).

1.5 Copyrights, Trademarks, etc.

Quotes from Web sites and product descriptions written by companies are copyrighted by those companies. The remainder of this document is copyrighted by Ronald Bourret. Unless you specifically know otherwise, it should be assumed that all product and company names are trademarked by their owners.

2.0 Product Index

2.1 Middleware

Product / Developer / License / DB Type / DB=>
XML / XML
=>DB
ADO / Microsoft / Commercial / Relational / x / x
Allora / HiT Software / Commercial / Relational / x / x
ASP2XML / Stonebroom / Commercial / Relational / x / x
Attunity Connect / Attunity Ltd. / Commercial / Relational, hierarchical, etc. / x / x
Beanstalk / Beanstalk Corp. / Commercial / Relational / x / --
Castor / exolab.org / Open Source / Relational / x / x
Charteris Integration Toolkit / Charteris / Commercial / Relational / x / x
Data Junction / Data Junction, Inc. / Commercial / Relational, ISAM, etc. / x / x
DB2XML / Volker Turau / Open Source / Relational / x / --
DbToXml / SoftRUs / Commercial / Relational / x / x
DBIx::XML_RDB / Matt Sergeant / Open Source / Relational / x / x
DBIx::XMLMessage / Andrei Nossov / Open Source / Relational / x / x
DB-X / Swift Inc. / Commercial / Relational / x / x
DB/XML Transform, DB/XML Vision / DataMirror Corp. / Commercial / Relational / x / x
Delphi / Borland / Commercial / Relational / x / x
Easysoft XML-ODBC Server / Easysoft / Commercial / Relational / x / --
e.Reporting / Actuate / Commercial / Relational / x / --
eTools XML / GA eXpress / Commercial / MultiValue / x / x
iConnector / infoteria / Commercial / Relational, Lotus Notes / x / x
idx-xmnesia / IDEALX / Open Source / mnesia / x / x
iINTEGRATOR / Lightspeed Interactive / Commercial / Relational / x / x(?)
Import/Export Studio / Etasoft / Commercial / Relational / x / x
InterAccess / XML Software Corporation / Commercial / Relational / x / x
JaxMe / Jochen Wiedmann / Open Source / Relational / x / x
jXTransformer / DataDirect Technologies / Commercial / Relational / x / x
ODBC2XML / Intelligent Systems Research / Shareware / Relational / x / --
ODBC Socket Server / Team FXML / Open Source / Relational / x / --
Osage / George Stewart, et al / Open Source / Relational / x / x
PowerXML Pro / Wizen Software / Commercial / Relational / x / x(?)
PXSLServlet / Paul A. Tchistopolskii / Open Source / Relational / x / x
sql2dtd / David Mertz / Public domain / Relational / x / --
sql2xml / Scott Hathaway / Public domain / Relational / x / --
Sunopsis XML Driver / Sunopsis / Commercial / Relational / x / x
SXQL / Goetz Hatop / Shareware / Relational / x / x
Sypram XML Studio / Sypram Technology / Commercial / Relational / x / --
TransVerse / Coyote Consultants / Commercial / Relational, MultiValued / x / x
XChainJ / Cogent Logic Corp. / Commercial / Relational / x / x
X:Forge / Bibop Research International / Open Source / Relational, Native XML / x / --
xlinkit / xlinkit.com / Free/commercial / Relational / x / --
XML DataDesk / NetBryx Technologies / Commercial / Relational / x / --
XMLDataLink / BASD, Integra Micro Systems (P), Ltd. / Commercial / Relational / x / x(?)
XML-DBMS / Ronald Bourret, et al / Open Source / Relational / x / x
XML for Tables / IBM / Evaluation only / Relational (DB2) / x / --
XML::Generator::DBI / Matt Sergeant / Open Source / Relational / x / --
XMLizer / E-XMLMedia / Commercial / Relational / x / x
XML Junction / Data Junction, Inc. / Commercial / Relational, ISAM, etc. / x / x
XML Lightweight Extractor (XLE) / IBM / Evaluation / Relational / x / --
XML Servlet / Cerium Component Software Incorporated / Commercial / Relational / x / x
XMLShark / infoShark / Commercial / Oracle / x / x
XML Spy / Altova / Commercial / Relational / x / x
XML SQL Utility for Java / Oracle / Development-only / Relational / x / x
XML Transformation Server (XTS) / iWay Software / Commercial / Relational, hierarchical, etc. / x / x
XSQL Servlet / Oracle / Development-only / Relational / x / --
XVRL (eXtensible Value Resolution Language) / xvrl.org / Open Source / Relational / x / --

2.2 XML-Enabled Databases

Product / Developer / License / DB Type
Access 2002 / Microsoft / Commercial / Relational
Cache / InterSystems Corp. / Commercial / Multi-valued
DB2 / IBM / Commercial / Relational
eXtremeDB / McObject / Commercial / Navigational
FileMaker / FileMaker / Commercial / FileMaker
FoxPro / Microsoft / Commercial / Relational
Informix / IBM / Commercial / Relational
Matisse / Matisse Software / Commercial / Object-oriented
Objectivity/DB / Objectivity / Commercial / Object-oriented
OpenInsight / Revelation Software / Commercial / Multi-valued
Oracle 8i, 9i / Oracle / Commercial / Relational
SQL Server 2000 / Microsoft / Commercial / Relational
Sybase ASE 12.5 / Sybase / Commercial / Relational
Versant enJin / Versant Corp. / Commercial / Object-oriented

2.3 Native XML Databases

Product / Developer / License / DB Type
4Suite, 4Suite Server / FourThought / Open Source / Object-oriented
Birdstep RDM XML / Birdstep / Commercial / Object-oriented
Centor Interaction Server / Centor Software Corp. / Commercial / Proprietary
Cerisent XQE / Cerisent / Commercial / Proprietary(?)
Coherity XML Database / Coherity / Commercial / Proprietary
DBDOM / K. Ari Krupnikov / Open Source / Relational
dbXML / dbXML Group / Commercial / Proprietary
DOM-Safe / Ellipsis / Commercial / Proprietary
eXist / Wolfgang Meier / Open Source / Relational
eXtc / M/Gateway Developments Ltd. / Commercial / Multi-valued
eXtensible Information Server (XIS) / eXcelon Corp. / Commercial / Object-oriented (ObjectStore). Relational and other data through Data Junction
GoXML DB / XML Global / Commercial / Proprietary (Text-based)
Infonyte DB / Infonyte / Commercial / Proprietary (Model-based)
Ipedo XML Database / Ipedo / Commercial / Proprietary
Lore / Stanford University / Research / Semi-structured
Lucid XML Data Manager / Ludic'i.t. / Commercial / Proprietary
MindSuite XDB / Wired Minds / Commercial / Object-oriented
Natix / data ex machina / Commercial / File system(?)
Neocore XML Management System / NeoCore / Commercial / Proprietary
ozone / ozone-db.org / Open Source / Object-oriented
Sekaiju / Yggdrasill / Media Fusion / Commercial / Proprietary
SQL/XML-IMDB / QuiLogic / Commercial / Proprietary (native XML and relational)
Tamino / Software AG / Commercial / Proprietary. Relational through ODBC.
TeraText DBS / TeraText Solutions / Commercial / Proprietary
TEXTML Server / IXIA, Inc. / Commercial / Proprietary (Text-based)
TigerLogic XDMS / Raining Data / Commercial / Pick
TOTAL XML / Cincom / Commercial / Object-relational?
Virtuoso / OpenLink Software / Commercial / Proprietary. Relational through ODBC
XDBM / Matthew Parry, Paul Sokolovsky / Open Source / Proprietary (Model-based)
XDB / ZVON.org / Open Source / Relational (PostgreSQL only?)
X-Hive/DB / X-Hive Corporation / Commercial / Object-oriented (Objectivity/DB). Relational through JDBC
Xindice / Apache Software Foundation / Open Source / Proprietary (Model-based)
Xyleme Zone Server / Xyleme SA / Commercial / Proprietary

2.4 XML Servers

Product / Developer / License / DB Type
ATG Dynamo / ATG / Commercial / Relational (JDBC)
AxKit / AxKit.com Ltd. / Open Source / Relational
Cocoon / Apache.org / Open Source / Relational
ColdFusion / Macromedia / Commercial / Relational
Enhydra / enhydra.org / Open Source / Relational
Enosys Integration Suite / Enosys Software / Commercial / Relational, XML, HTML, Web services, flat files
Interaction Server / Netegrity / Commercial / Relational
Lasso / Blue World Communications / Commercial / Relational
MatriXML / MojoTechnology, Inc. / Commercial / Oracle. External relational through ODBC
Net.Data / IBM / Commercial / Relational
Nimble Integration Suite / Nimble Technology / Commercial / Relational, IMS, SAP, Notes, flat files, etc.
Noetix Web Query / Aris Software, Inc. / Commercial / Relational
PolarLake Database Integrator / PolarLake / Commercial / Relational (JDBC)
Rhythmyx Content Manager / Percussion Software / Commercial / Relational, Lotus Notes
SQml Web, SQml Publisher / Agave Software Design / Commercial / Relational
Total-e-Business / HP Bluestone / Commercial / Relational (JDBC). Non-relational through Data Source Integration Modules
Visual Net Server / CNet / Commercial / Relational
WebObjects / Apple Computer / Commercial / Relational
XA-Suite / XAware, Inc. / Commercial / Relational, native XML, mainframe, etc.
XML Portal Server (XPS) / Uniway / Commercial / Relational, Lotus Notes, etc.
Zope / Digital Creations / Open Source / Object-oriented, Relational, LDAP

2.5 Content Management Systems

Product / Developer / License / DB Type
Astoria / Lightspeed Interactive / Commercial / Object-oriented
CMS / Sorman / Commercial / POET
Content@XML / XyEnterprise / Commercial / Oracle
Documentum / Documentum, Inc. / Commercial / Relational
Dynabase / Red Bridge Interactive / Commercial / ObjectStore
Eclipse / Lightspeed Interactive / Commercial / ObjectStore
eidonXportal / eidon / Commercial / Relational
engenda / Red Bridge Interactive / Commercial / ObjectStore/Dynabase
entrepid / Red Bridge Interactive / Commercial / Oracle 8i
The Environment / Ecosystems Design / Commercial / Unknown
Frontier / UserLand Software / Commercial / Object-oriented
GEMt / X.Systems, Inc. / Commercial / Tamino
GroveMinder / Epremis / Commercial / Unknown
iENGINE / Lightspeed Interactive / Commercial / Pluggable
Ingeniux Content Management System / Ingeniux Corporation / Commercial / Relational
Life*CDM / Corena / Commercial / Oracle
Lucid e-Globalizer / Lucid'i.t. / Commercial / Lucid XML Data Manager
One-to-One Content / BroadVision / Commercial / Unknown
Prowler / infozone / Open Source / Object-oriented, relational, etc.
SiberSafe / SiberLogic / Commercial / Relational
SigmaLink / STEP Electronic Publishing Solutions GmbH / Commercial / Relational
TeamSite / Interwoven / Commercial / Relational, file system
Vasont / Progressive Information Technologies / Commercial / Relational
Vignette Content Suite / Vignette Corp. / Commercial / Unknown
XCMS / KwareSoft Inc. / Commercial / Relational

2.6 Discontinued Products

Product / Category / Developer / License / DB Type
DatabaseDom / Middleware / IBM / Evaluation only / Relational
DataCraft / Middleware / IBM / Evaluation only / DB2, Microsoft Access
Hynet Directive / Content Management Systems / Hynet Technologies / Commercial / Unknown
Information Manager / Content Management Systems / Interleaf / Commercial / Unknown
LivePage Enterprise / Content Management Systems / Janna Systems / Commercial / Relational
Rhythmyx Integrator / XML Servers / Percussion Software / Commercial / Relational
Tendara Mobile XML Database / Native XML Databases / Tendara / Commercial / Proprietary
WSDOM XML-Portal / Content Management Systems / Radian Systems / Commercial / Unknown
Xfinity Server / Native XML Databases / B-Bop Associates, Inc. / Commercial / Relational. Others through "data connectors".
XYZFind Server / Native XML Databases / XYZFind Corporation / Commercial / Proprietary

3.0 Related Products

3.1 XML Query Engines

XML query engines are standalone programs that can query XML documents. Currently, these implement a variety of languages: XQL, XPath, XML-QL, Quilt, XQuery, etc. In the future, I expect most to standardize on the W3C query languages: XPath and XQuery.

XML Database Products