std::xml — XML Parsing (libxml2)

std::xml provides a small, DOM-style XML parsing and traversal API backed by libxml2.

Built-In Dependencies + Linking#

On supported hosted Linux x86_64 target layouts, std::xml relies on a built-in libxml2 build produced by the Silk compiler repository’s vendored dependency workflow.

• libxml2 tag v2.15.1

Run:

zig build deps

For musl outputs, build the matching dependency layout first:

zig build deps -Dtarget=x86_64-linux-musl

When the built-in archives are present, silk build auto-links:

• vendor/lib/<target-layout>/libxml2.a
• vendor/lib/<target-layout>/libsilk_xml_shims.a

In staged/installed toolchains, these archives are expected under the compiler prefix:

• build/lib/silk/vendor/lib/<target-layout>/ (repo build prefix)
• <prefix>/lib/silk/vendor/lib/<target-layout>/ (installed)

when std::xml is present in the module set, and also when linking .o/.a inputs that reference the shim symbols.

Note: the built-in libxml2 path currently auto-links on linux/x86_64 glibc and musl and requires the target libc math provider at link/runtime (libm.so.6 on glibc, libc.so on musl).

API Summary#

• Document.parse(xml: string) -> Result(Document, XmlFailed)
• Document.parse_with_options(xml: string, options: int) -> Result(Document, XmlFailed)
• Document.root() -> Node?
• Node.name() -> string (borrowed view; valid while the Document is alive)
• Node.first_child_element() -> Node?
• Node.next_element_sibling() -> Node?
• Node.content() -> Result(std::strings::String, XmlFailed) (owned copy)
• Node.attr(name: string) -> Result(std::strings::String?, XmlFailed) (owned copy)
• cleanup() — optional libxml2 global cleanup

Parse Safety Defaults#

Document.parse uses safe defaults:

• PARSE_NONET (disable network access)
• PARSE_NO_XXE (disable loading external DTDs/entities)
• PARSE_NOERROR / PARSE_NOWARNING (silence libxml2 default error handlers)

Callers can override the libxml2 option bits via Document.parse_with_options.