Alternatives to using XML and XSL?

Question

Ok guys,

I'm creating a web app thats heavy on data getting pulled from a DB and put in the DB. XML is nice for this but XSL just seems bulky and hard to maintain.

Are there any other technologies out there that would be ideal for this situation with the more long term goal of being able to add new features to the web app?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Here's my solution for Java:

http://confluence.highsource.org/display/HJ3/Home

Answer 2

XSL just seems bulky and hard to maintain.

You should learn more about XSLT, then. It's not.

In my experience, ease of maintenance is one of the most compelling reasons to use XSLT. All of the hard-to-learn quirks of a side-effect-free templating language snap into sharp focus when you start modifying an extensive set of templates and your changes don't break anything.