Re: [xsl] If XSLT is declarative, why doesn't it feel that way?

["Wendell Piez wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <xsl-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Mike Kay reflects on this gap between the names of XSLT elements and
instructions and its "feel"

On Tue, Apr 21, 2026 at 5:01b/AM Michael Kay mike@xxxxxxxxxxxx <
xsl-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> >
> > I donbt know what about XSLT does not feel declarative.
>
> I think it's primarily because it chose to use imperative verbs in its
> syntax: apply-templates, call-template, select, choose, iterate, sort,
> group-by.
>
> And I think that choice was probably made (perhaps subconsciously) in
> order to make it feel more familiar to people who are used to procedural
> languages.


More than once I have toyed with the idea of deploying a version of XSLT in
which all the elements (and attributes) had better -- er, different --
names .... today in XProc this would be straightforward.

(Dave P - yes, kickback against DSSSL, that makes lots of sense.)

Cheers, Wendell

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