Understanding XML vs database

Whether to go for using an xml file or to opt an database for your application, depends on a lot of factors. If your application is for a small number of users and the data that you are going to store and query is also less then you can very well go for an xml document.

You should know that querying an xml document is far more complex than using the simple select statement in a database. It all depends on how far you are comfortable with the XQuery and XPath.

If you are going to manage small amount of content that is going to be used in your website then it is better to go for an xml document which can have the content for your website.

Most of the small projects do not require a database to work. They use xml file and simple text files to store data. This gives them the flexibility to distribute the application easily since they need not worry about distributing the database in case they have used.

For more complex data structures and complex applications, you can go for a database where you get a lot of options and features built in them.