xmlto

xmlto is a command-line utility designed to convert XML documents into various output formats, primarily focusing on transformations using XSLT. It simplifies the process of transforming XML data into human-readable formats like HTML, LaTeX, or plain text. xmlto acts as a wrapper around standard XSLT processors, providing a more user-friendly interface for common conversion tasks.

The core functionality of xmlto lies in its ability to apply XSLT stylesheets to an XML source document. Users specify the input XML file, an output format, and optionally a custom XSLT stylesheet. If no custom stylesheet is provided, xmlto often utilizes default stylesheets tailored for common document types like DocBook, making it particularly useful for technical documentation.

xmlto supports a range of output formats. Commonly, it can generate HTML suitable for web display, LaTeX for typesetting professional documents, and plain text for simple extraction of content. The tool manages the underlying XSLT processing, handling details such as applying the correct stylesheet and invoking the appropriate XSLT processor. This abstraction allows users to focus on the content and desired output format rather than the intricacies of XSLT execution.

Installation of xmlto is typically straightforward, available through most Linux and Unix-like operating system package managers. Its command-line nature makes it easily integrable into build scripts and automated workflows, facilitating reproducible documentation generation and content processing pipelines.