menuxml

MenuXML (also written as menuxml) is an XML-based data format used to describe hierarchical menus and related actions in software interfaces. It provides a structured, machine-readable way to define navigational menus, submenus, and items, including labels, icons, and corresponding actions.

Typical structure uses a root element such as menus or menu, with nested category or item elements. Each item may carry attributes or child elements for id, label, icon, and action, where action can reference a function, URL, or command. Submenus are represented by nested menu or submenu elements, enabling multi-level navigation.

MenuXML is not a single universal standard. Various implementations exist, often accompanied by XML Schemas or DTDs for validation. Frameworks and content managers may define custom namespaces to extend item metadata, such as accessibility attributes, localization, or theming information.

Common use cases include digital restaurant menus for kiosks, in-app navigation menus, and configuration data for UI components. Because it is text-based, MenuXML is easy to version, validate, and transform with XSLT or other tools, and it can be converted to JSON or other formats as needed.

Example: <menu id="main" label="Main Menu"><item id="home" label="Home" action="navigate:/home"/><item id="settings" label="Settings" action="open:/settings"/></menu>