DocumentBuilderFactory (Java SE 26 & JDK 26)
Description: declaration: module: java.xml, package: javax.xml.parsers, class: DocumentBuilderFactory
Keywords: javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory class

# Class DocumentBuilderFactory

java.lang.Object
javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory

public abstract class DocumentBuilderFactory extends Object
Defines a factory API that enables applications to obtain a parser that produces DOM object trees from XML documents.

Since:
  1.4

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Modifier
  Constructor
  Description
  `protected`
  `DocumentBuilderFactory()`
  Protected constructor to prevent instantiation.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `abstract Object`
  `getAttribute(String name)`
  Allows the user to retrieve specific attributes on the underlying implementation.
  `abstract boolean`
  `getFeature(String name)`
  Get the state of the named feature.
  `Schema`
  `getSchema()`
  Gets the `Schema` object specified through the `setSchema(Schema schema)` method.
  `boolean`
  `isCoalescing()`
  Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which converts CDATA nodes to Text nodes and appends it to the adjacent (if any) Text node.
  `boolean`
  `isExpandEntityReferences()`
  Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which expand entity reference nodes.
  `boolean`
  `isIgnoringComments()`
  Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which ignores comments.
  `boolean`
  `isIgnoringElementContentWhitespace()`
  Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which ignore ignorable whitespace in element content.
  `boolean`
  `isNamespaceAware()`
  Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which are namespace aware.
  `boolean`
  `isValidating()`
  Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which validate the XML content during parse.
  `boolean`
  `isXIncludeAware()`
  Get state of XInclude processing.
  `static DocumentBuilderFactory`
  `newDefaultInstance()`
  Creates a new instance of the `DocumentBuilderFactory` builtin system-default implementation.
  `static DocumentBuilderFactory`
  `newDefaultNSInstance()`
  Creates a new NamespaceAware instance of the `DocumentBuilderFactory` builtin system-default implementation.
  `abstract DocumentBuilder`
  `newDocumentBuilder()`
  Creates a new instance of a `DocumentBuilder` using the currently configured parameters.
  `static DocumentBuilderFactory`
  `newInstance()`
  Obtains a new instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`.
  `static DocumentBuilderFactory`
  `newInstance(String factoryClassName, ClassLoader classLoader)`
  Obtain a new instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory` from class name.
  `static DocumentBuilderFactory`
  `newNSInstance()`
  Creates a new NamespaceAware instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`.
  `static DocumentBuilderFactory`
  `newNSInstance(String factoryClassName, ClassLoader classLoader)`
  Creates a new NamespaceAware instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory` from the class name.
  `abstract void`
  `setAttribute(String name, Object value)`
  Allows the user to set specific attributes on the underlying implementation.
  `void`
  `setCoalescing(boolean coalescing)`
  Specifies that the parser produced by this code will convert CDATA nodes to Text nodes and append it to the adjacent (if any) text node.
  `void`
  `setExpandEntityReferences(boolean expandEntityRef)`
  Specifies that the parser produced by this code will expand entity reference nodes.
  `abstract void`
  `setFeature(String name, boolean value)`
  Set a feature for this `DocumentBuilderFactory` and `DocumentBuilder`s created by this factory.
  `void`
  `setIgnoringComments(boolean ignoreComments)`
  Specifies that the parser produced by this code will ignore comments.
  `void`
  `setIgnoringElementContentWhitespace(boolean whitespace)`
  Specifies that the parsers created by this factory must eliminate whitespace in element content (sometimes known loosely as 'ignorable whitespace') when parsing XML documents (see XML Rec 2.10).
  `void`
  `setNamespaceAware(boolean awareness)`
  Specifies that the parser produced by this code will provide support for XML namespaces.
  `void`
  `setSchema(Schema schema)`
  Set the `Schema` to be used by parsers created from this factory.
  `void`
  `setValidating(boolean validating)`
  Specifies that the parser produced by this code will validate documents as they are parsed.
  `void`
  `setXIncludeAware(boolean state)`
  Set state of XInclude processing.

  ### Methods declared in class Object

  `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`
  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `protected Object`
  `clone()`
  Creates and returns a copy of this object.
  `boolean`
  `equals(Object obj)`
  Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
  `protected void`
  `finalize()`
  Deprecated, for removal: This API element is subject to removal in a future version.
  Finalization is deprecated and subject to removal in a future release.
  `final Class<?>`
  `getClass()`
  Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
  `int`
  `hashCode()`
  Returns a hash code value for this object.
  `final void`
  `notify()`
  Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
  `final void`
  `notifyAll()`
  Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
  `String`
  `toString()`
  Returns a string representation of the object.
  `final void`
  `wait()`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted.
  `final void`
  `wait(long timeoutMillis)`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
  `final void`
  `wait(long timeoutMillis, int nanos)`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### DocumentBuilderFactory

    protected DocumentBuilderFactory()
    Protected constructor to prevent instantiation. Use `newInstance()`.

- ## Method Details

  - ### newDefaultNSInstance

    public static DocumentBuilderFactory newDefaultNSInstance()
    Creates a new NamespaceAware instance of the `DocumentBuilderFactory` builtin system-default implementation. Parsers produced by the factory instance provides support for XML namespaces by default.
    Implementation Requirements:
      In addition to creating a factory instance using the same process as `newDefaultInstance()`, this method must set NamespaceAware to true.
    Returns:
      a new instance of the `DocumentBuilderFactory` builtin system-default implementation.
    Since:
      13

  - ### newNSInstance

    public static DocumentBuilderFactory newNSInstance()
    Creates a new NamespaceAware instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`. Parsers produced by the factory instance provides support for XML namespaces by default.
    Implementation Requirements:
      In addition to creating a factory instance using the same process as `newInstance()`, this method must set NamespaceAware to true.
    Returns:
      a new instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`
    Throws:
      `FactoryConfigurationError` - in case of service configuration error or if the implementation is not available or cannot be instantiated.
    Since:
      13

  - ### newNSInstance

    public static DocumentBuilderFactory newNSInstance(String factoryClassName, ClassLoader classLoader)
    Creates a new NamespaceAware instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory` from the class name. Parsers produced by the factory instance provides support for XML namespaces by default.
    Implementation Requirements:
      In addition to creating a factory instance using the same process as `newInstance(java.lang.String, java.lang.ClassLoader)`, this method must set NamespaceAware to true.
    Parameters:
      `factoryClassName` - a fully qualified factory class name that provides implementation of `javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory`.
      `classLoader` - the `ClassLoader` used to load the factory class. If it is `null`, the current `Thread`'s context classLoader is used to load the factory class.
    Returns:
      a new instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`
    Throws:
      `FactoryConfigurationError` - if `factoryClassName` is `null`, or the factory class cannot be loaded, instantiated.
    Since:
      13

  - ### newDefaultInstance

    public static DocumentBuilderFactory newDefaultInstance()
    Creates a new instance of the `DocumentBuilderFactory` builtin system-default implementation.
    Returns:
      A new instance of the `DocumentBuilderFactory` builtin system-default implementation.
    Since:
      9

  - ### newInstance

    public static DocumentBuilderFactory newInstance()
    Obtains a new instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`. This method uses the JAXP Lookup Mechanism to determine the `DocumentBuilderFactory` implementation class to load.

    Once an application has obtained a reference to a `DocumentBuilderFactory`, it can use the factory to configure and obtain parser instances.

    #### Tip for Trouble-shooting

    Setting the `jaxp.debug` system property will cause this method to print a lot of debug messages to `System.err` about what it is doing and where it is looking at.

    If you have problems loading `DocumentBuilder`s, try:

        java -Djaxp.debug=1 YourProgram ....

    Returns:
      New instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`
    Throws:
      `FactoryConfigurationError` - in case of service configuration error or if the implementation is not available or cannot be instantiated.

  - ### newInstance

    public static DocumentBuilderFactory newInstance(String factoryClassName, ClassLoader classLoader)
    Obtain a new instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory` from class name. This function is useful when there are multiple providers in the classpath. It gives more control to the application as it can specify which provider should be loaded.

    Once an application has obtained a reference to a `DocumentBuilderFactory` it can use the factory to configure and obtain parser instances.

    #### Tip for Trouble-shooting

    Setting the `jaxp.debug` system property will cause this method to print a lot of debug messages to `System.err` about what it is doing and where it is looking at.

    If you have problems try:

        java -Djaxp.debug=1 YourProgram ....

    Parameters:
      `factoryClassName` - fully qualified factory class name that provides implementation of `javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory`.
      `classLoader` - `ClassLoader` used to load the factory class. If `null` current `Thread`'s context classLoader is used to load the factory class.
    Returns:
      New instance of a `DocumentBuilderFactory`
    Throws:
      `FactoryConfigurationError` - if `factoryClassName` is `null`, or the factory class cannot be loaded, instantiated.
    Since:
      1.6
    See Also:
      - `newInstance()`

  - ### newDocumentBuilder

    public abstract DocumentBuilder newDocumentBuilder() throws ParserConfigurationException
    Creates a new instance of a `DocumentBuilder` using the currently configured parameters.
    Returns:
      A new instance of a DocumentBuilder.
    Throws:
      `ParserConfigurationException` - if a DocumentBuilder cannot be created which satisfies the configuration requested.

  - ### setNamespaceAware

    public void setNamespaceAware(boolean awareness)
    Specifies that the parser produced by this code will provide support for XML namespaces. By default the value of this is set to `false`
    Parameters:
      `awareness` - true if the parser produced will provide support for XML namespaces; false otherwise.

  - ### setValidating

    public void setValidating(boolean validating)
    Specifies that the parser produced by this code will validate documents as they are parsed. By default the value of this is set to `false`.

    Note that "the validation" here means a validating parser as defined in the XML recommendation. In other words, it essentially just controls the DTD validation. (except the legacy two properties defined in JAXP 1.2.)

    To use modern schema languages such as W3C XML Schema or RELAX NG instead of DTD, you can configure your parser to be a non-validating parser by leaving the `setValidating(boolean)` method `false`, then use the `setSchema(Schema)` method to associate a schema to a parser.

    Parameters:
      `validating` - true if the parser produced will validate documents as they are parsed; false otherwise.

  - ### setIgnoringElementContentWhitespace

    public void setIgnoringElementContentWhitespace(boolean whitespace)
    Specifies that the parsers created by this factory must eliminate whitespace in element content (sometimes known loosely as 'ignorable whitespace') when parsing XML documents (see XML Rec 2.10). Note that only whitespace which is directly contained within element content that has an element only content model (see XML Rec 3.2.1) will be eliminated. Due to reliance on the content model this setting requires the parser to be in validating mode. By default the value of this is set to `false`.
    Parameters:
      `whitespace` - true if the parser created must eliminate whitespace in the element content when parsing XML documents; false otherwise.

  - ### setExpandEntityReferences

    public void setExpandEntityReferences(boolean expandEntityRef)
    Specifies that the parser produced by this code will expand entity reference nodes. By default the value of this is set to `true`
    Parameters:
      `expandEntityRef` - true if the parser produced will expand entity reference nodes; false otherwise.

  - ### setIgnoringComments

    public void setIgnoringComments(boolean ignoreComments)
    Specifies that the parser produced by this code will ignore comments. By default the value of this is set to `false`.
    Parameters:
      `ignoreComments` - `boolean` value to ignore comments during processing

  - ### setCoalescing

    public void setCoalescing(boolean coalescing)
    Specifies that the parser produced by this code will convert CDATA nodes to Text nodes and append it to the adjacent (if any) text node. By default the value of this is set to `false`
    Parameters:
      `coalescing` - true if the parser produced will convert CDATA nodes to Text nodes and append it to the adjacent (if any) text node; false otherwise.

  - ### isNamespaceAware

    public boolean isNamespaceAware()
    Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which are namespace aware.
    Returns:
      true if the factory is configured to produce parsers which are namespace aware; false otherwise.

  - ### isValidating

    public boolean isValidating()
    Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which validate the XML content during parse.
    Returns:
      true if the factory is configured to produce parsers which validate the XML content during parse; false otherwise.

  - ### isIgnoringElementContentWhitespace

    public boolean isIgnoringElementContentWhitespace()
    Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which ignore ignorable whitespace in element content.
    Returns:
      true if the factory is configured to produce parsers which ignore ignorable whitespace in element content; false otherwise.

  - ### isExpandEntityReferences

    public boolean isExpandEntityReferences()
    Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which expand entity reference nodes.
    Returns:
      true if the factory is configured to produce parsers which expand entity reference nodes; false otherwise.

  - ### isIgnoringComments

    public boolean isIgnoringComments()
    Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which ignores comments.
    Returns:
      true if the factory is configured to produce parsers which ignores comments; false otherwise.

  - ### isCoalescing

    public boolean isCoalescing()
    Indicates whether or not the factory is configured to produce parsers which converts CDATA nodes to Text nodes and appends it to the adjacent (if any) Text node.
    Returns:
      true if the factory is configured to produce parsers which converts CDATA nodes to Text nodes and appends it to the adjacent (if any) Text node; false otherwise.

  - ### setAttribute

    public abstract void setAttribute(String name, Object value) throws IllegalArgumentException
    Allows the user to set specific attributes on the underlying implementation.

    All implementations that implement JAXP 1.5 or newer are required to support the `XMLConstants.ACCESS_EXTERNAL_DTD` and `XMLConstants.ACCESS_EXTERNAL_SCHEMA` properties.

    - Setting the `XMLConstants.ACCESS_EXTERNAL_DTD` property restricts the access to external DTDs, external Entity References to the protocols specified by the property. If access is denied during parsing due to the restriction of this property, `SAXException` will be thrown by the parse methods defined by `DocumentBuilder`.
    - Setting the `XMLConstants.ACCESS_EXTERNAL_SCHEMA` property restricts the access to external Schema set by the schemaLocation attribute to the protocols specified by the property. If access is denied during parsing due to the restriction of this property, `SAXException` will be thrown by the parse methods defined by `DocumentBuilder`.
    Parameters:
      `name` - The name of the attribute.
      `value` - The value of the attribute.
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - thrown if the underlying implementation doesn't recognize the attribute.

  - ### getAttribute

    public abstract Object getAttribute(String name) throws IllegalArgumentException
    Allows the user to retrieve specific attributes on the underlying implementation.
    Parameters:
      `name` - The name of the attribute.
    Returns:
      value The value of the attribute.
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - thrown if the underlying implementation doesn't recognize the attribute.

  - ### setFeature

    public abstract void setFeature(String name, boolean value) throws ParserConfigurationException
    Set a feature for this `DocumentBuilderFactory` and `DocumentBuilder`s created by this factory.

    Feature names are fully qualified `URI`s. Implementations may define their own features. A `ParserConfigurationException` is thrown if this `DocumentBuilderFactory` or the `DocumentBuilder`s it creates cannot support the feature. It is possible for a `DocumentBuilderFactory` to expose a feature value but be unable to change its state.

    All implementations are required to support the `XMLConstants.FEATURE_SECURE_PROCESSING` feature. When the feature is:

    - `true`: the implementation will limit XML processing to conform to implementation limits. Examples include entity expansion limits and XML Schema constructs that would consume large amounts of resources. If XML processing is limited for security reasons, it will be reported via a call to the registered `ErrorHandler.fatalError(SAXParseException exception)`. See `DocumentBuilder.setErrorHandler(org.xml.sax.ErrorHandler errorHandler)`.
    - `false`: the implementation will processing XML according to the XML specifications without regard to possible implementation limits.
    Parameters:
      `name` - Feature name.
      `value` - Is feature state `true` or `false`.
    Throws:
      `ParserConfigurationException` - if this `DocumentBuilderFactory` or the `DocumentBuilder`s it creates cannot support this feature.
      `NullPointerException` - If the `name` parameter is null.
    Since:
      1.5

  - ### getFeature

    public abstract boolean getFeature(String name) throws ParserConfigurationException
    Get the state of the named feature.

    Feature names are fully qualified `URI`s. Implementations may define their own features. An `ParserConfigurationException` is thrown if this `DocumentBuilderFactory` or the `DocumentBuilder`s it creates cannot support the feature. It is possible for an `DocumentBuilderFactory` to expose a feature value but be unable to change its state.

    Parameters:
      `name` - Feature name.
    Returns:
      State of the named feature.
    Throws:
      `ParserConfigurationException` - if this `DocumentBuilderFactory` or the `DocumentBuilder`s it creates cannot support this feature.
    Since:
      1.5

  - ### getSchema

    public Schema getSchema()
    Gets the `Schema` object specified through the `setSchema(Schema schema)` method.
    Returns:
      the `Schema` object that was last set through the `setSchema(Schema)` method, or null if the method was not invoked since a `DocumentBuilderFactory` is created.
    Throws:
      `UnsupportedOperationException` - When implementation does not override this method.
    Since:
      1.5

  - ### setSchema

    public void setSchema(Schema schema)
    Set the `Schema` to be used by parsers created from this factory.

    When a `Schema` is non-null, a parser will use a validator created from it to validate documents before it passes information down to the application.

    When errors are found by the validator, the parser is responsible to report them to the user-specified `ErrorHandler` (or if the error handler is not set, ignore them or throw them), just like any other errors found by the parser itself. In other words, if the user-specified `ErrorHandler` is set, it must receive those errors, and if not, they must be treated according to the implementation specific default error handling rules.

    A validator may modify the outcome of a parse (for example by adding default values that were missing in documents), and a parser is responsible to make sure that the application will receive modified DOM trees.

    Initially, null is set as the `Schema`.

    This processing will take effect even if the `isValidating()` method returns `false`.

    It is an error to use the `http://java.sun.com/xml/jaxp/properties/schemaSource` property and/or the `http://java.sun.com/xml/jaxp/properties/schemaLanguage` property in conjunction with a `Schema` object. Such configuration will cause a `ParserConfigurationException` exception when the `newDocumentBuilder()` is invoked.

    #### Note for implementors

    A parser must be able to work with any `Schema` implementation. However, parsers and schemas are allowed to use implementation-specific custom mechanisms as long as they yield the result described in the specification.

    Parameters:
      `schema` - `Schema` to use or `null` to remove a schema.
    Throws:
      `UnsupportedOperationException` - When implementation does not override this method.
    Since:
      1.5

  - ### setXIncludeAware

    public void setXIncludeAware(boolean state)
    Set state of XInclude processing.

    If XInclude markup is found in the document instance, should it be processed as specified in XML Inclusions (XInclude) Version 1.0.

    XInclude processing defaults to `false`.

    Parameters:
      `state` - Set XInclude processing to `true` or `false`
    Throws:
      `UnsupportedOperationException` - When implementation does not override this method.
    Since:
      1.5

  - ### isXIncludeAware

    public boolean isXIncludeAware()
    Get state of XInclude processing.
    Returns:
      current state of XInclude processing
    Throws:
      `UnsupportedOperationException` - When implementation does not override this method.
    Since:
      1.5