There are three ways to read XML files in C#: XDocument, XmlDocument and DataSet. First, using XDocument can queries and manipulate XML data concisely and efficiently through LINQ, which is suitable for scenarios with clear structures and flexible queries; second, using XmlDocument is an old and stable DOM parsing method that supports XPath query, which is suitable for situations where nested structures are complex or need to be compatible with old code; third, using DataSet is suitable for XML files with similar database tables, which can be directly mapped into a table structure, but is not suitable for data with deep nesting levels; in addition, pay attention to checking file path problems, and it is recommended to use Path.Combine() to splice the path to avoid errors.

Reading XML files is a common task in C#, especially when handling configuration files, data exchange, or Web service responses. You can do this using a variety of categories provided by .NET, such as XmlDocument , XDocument , or DataSet . Here are some practical methods and suggestions.

Use XDocument to be simple and efficient

If you want to query and manipulate XML data in LINQ, it is recommended to use System.Xml.Linq.XDocument . It is part of LINQ to XML, with concise syntax and powerful functions.

Basic usage:

 using System.Xml.Linq;

XDocument doc = XDocument.Load("example.xml");
foreach (var item in doc.Descendants("Item"))
{
    string name = item.Element("Name").Value;
    Console.WriteLine(name);
}

• Suitable for scenarios with clear structure and flexible query.
• If you are familiar with LINQ, this method will be very easy.
• Note that you want to add a reference to System.Xml.Linq .

Use XmlDocument old but stable

XmlDocument is a traditional DOM method to parse XML. Although the writing method is relatively cumbersome, it is still common in some old projects.

Sample code:

 using System.Xml;

XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
doc.Load("example.xml");

XmlNodeList nodes = doc.SelectNodes("/Root/Items/Item");
foreach (XmlNode node in nodes)
{
    Console.WriteLine(node["Name"].InnerText);
}

• Supports XPath query, good flexibility.
• It is more suitable for situations where nested structures are complex or if you need to be compatible with old code.
• The disadvantage is that it is verbose to write and its performance is slightly inferior to XDocument.

Use DataSet to map directly to a tabular structure

If your XML file structure is similar to a database table (such as the concept of rows and columns), you can consider using DataSet to load it.

example:

 DataSet ds = new DataSet();
ds.ReadXml("example.xml");

foreach (DataRow row in ds.Tables[0].Rows)
{
    Console.WriteLine(row["Name"]);
}

• Especially suitable for exporting and importing structured data.
• There are certain requirements for the XML format and cannot be too complicated.
• Not suitable for data structures with deep nesting levels.

Tips: XML file path problems are prone to errors

• An incorrect path is one of the most common mistakes, remember to check if the file exists.
• You can use AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory to get the current program running directory.
• Or use Path.Combine() to splice the path to avoid errors caused by manual splicing.

For example:

 string filePath = Path.Combine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory, "example.xml");

Basically these are the methods. Which one to choose depends on your specific needs: if you pursue modern simplicity, use XDocument , use XmlDocument to be compatible with old code, and try DataSet structure like tables.

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