XPath syntax

XPath uses path expressions to select nodes in an XML document or set of nodes. By node along the path (path) or step (steps) to the selected.

XML instance documents

We will use this XML document in the examples below.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

<bookstore>

<book>
<title lang="eng">Harry Potter</title>
<price>29.99</price>
</book>

<book>
<title lang="eng">Learning XML</title>
<price>39.95</price>
</book>

</bookstore>

Select node

XPath uses path expressions to select nodes in an XML document. Or along a path through the node to select the step. Listed below are the most useful path expressions:

expression	description
nodename	Select all the child nodes of this node.
/	Select from the root node.
//	Select the document from the matching node currently selected node, regardless of their location.
.	Select the current node.
..	Select the parent of the current node.
@	Select Properties.

In the table below, we've listed some of the path expressions and the result of the expression:

Path expression	result
bookstore	Select all the child nodes of the bookstore element.
/ Bookstore	Select the root element bookstore. Note: If the path starts with a forward slash (/), the path is always representative of the absolute path to an element!
bookstore / book	Select the sub-elements belonging to the bookstore all book elements.
// Book	Select all book sub-elements, regardless of their position in the document.
bookstore // book	Selects all book elements that belong to the descendants of the bookstore element, no matter what position they are in and under the bookstore.
// @ Lang	Select all of the properties named lang.

Predicate (Predicates)

Predicate is used to find a specific node or a node that contains the value specified.

Predicate is embedded in square brackets.

In the table below, we have listed some path expressions with predicates and the result of the expression:

Path expression	result
/ Bookstore / book [1]	Select the sub-elements belonging bookstore first book element.
/ Bookstore / book [last ()]	Select the sub-elements belonging bookstore last book element.
/ Bookstore / book [last () - 1]	Select the sub-elements belonging to the reciprocal bookstore second book element.
/ Bookstore / book [position () <3]	Select the first two book elements of the bookstore element belonging to sub-elements.
// Title [@lang]	Select all attribute named lang has a title element.
// Title [@ lang = 'eng']	Select all the title elements, and these elements have value eng lang attribute.
/bookstore/book[price>35.00]	Select all the book elements of the bookstore element, and the value of the price element which must be greater than 35.00.
/bookstore/book[price>35.00]/title	Select all the title elements of the book elements of the bookstore element, and wherein the value of the price element shall be greater than 35.00.

Select unknown nodes

XPath wildcards can be used to select unknown XML elements.

Wildcard	description
*	Matches any element node.
@ *	Matches any attribute node.
node ()	Matches any type of node.

In the table below, we have listed some path expressions, as well as the results of these expressions:

Path expression	result
/ Bookstore / *	Select the bookstore element of all child elements.
// *	Select all elements in the document.
// Title [@ *]	Select all elements with title attribute.

Select several paths

By using the path expression "|" operator, you can select several paths.