Chapter 4 Getting started
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# Chapter 4 Getting started

Phing buildfiles are written in XML, and so you will need to know at least some basic things about XML to understand the following chapter. There is a lot of information available on the web:

- The Standard Recommendation of XML by the W3C http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-xml: very technical but exhaustive.

- XML In 10 Points http://www.w3.org/XML/1999/XML-in-10-points: Quick introduction into XML.

- A technical introduction to XML http://www.xml.com/pub/a/98/10/guide0.html: Interesting article by the creator of DocBook.

## 4.1 XML And Phing

A valid Phing buildfile has the following basic structure:

- The document prolog

- Exactly one root element called `<project>` .

- Several Phing `type` elements (i.e. `<property>` , `<fileset>` , `<patternset>` etc.)

- One or more `<target>` elements containing built-in or user defined Phing `task` elements (i.e. `<install>` , `<bcc>` , etc).

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3.5 Calling Phing | Home | 4.2 Writing A Simple Buildfile