Even if you discount the hype surrounding it, XML's promise and potential is difficult to overstate. So now is a good time to get a handle on what may be the next phase for the Web.

To save you time, I have brought together what I consider the essential resources and references regarding XML.

XML.com
XML.com is a collaborative partnership between Seybold Publications and Songline Studios, an affiliate of O'Reilly & Associates.

Extend the Web: An XML Primer
By Thomas A. Powell. Originally appeared in InternetWeek. Don't forget to checkout the extensive TechTools XML Supplement.

20 Questions on XML at C|Net.com.

XML: The Extensible Markup Language
James K. Tauber's site devoted exclusively to XML. An up-to-date and comprehensive resource.

XML and the W3C
By Lisa Rein (Mar. 27, 1998) Explains how specifications such as XML become recommendations at the World Wide Web Consortium. Includes a listing of XML-related specifications in development.

WebDeveloper.com's Guide to XML
A two-part technical introduction to XML development. Includes a working demo of an XML parser written in Java that runs on Netscape Navigator 3.x.