Get nodes relative to the current node

Syntax#

All ancestors of a node
- /path to the node/ancestor::node()
A specific ancestor of a node
- /path to the node/ancestor::ancestor_name
Parent of a node
- /path to the node/parent::node()
Following siblings of a node
- /path to the node/following-sibling::node()
A specific sibling following a node
- /path to the node/following-sibling::sibling_name
Preceding siblings of a node
- /path to the node/preceding-sibling::node()
A specific sibling preceding a node
- /path to the node/preceding-sibling::sibling_name
All immediate child nodes of a node
- /path to the node/child::node()
A specific immediate child node of a node
- /path to the node/child::chid_name
All the descendants of a node
- /path to the node/descendant::node()
All specific descendants of a node
- /path the to node/descendant::descendant_name

Parameters#

Axis	selects
ancestor	all the ancestor nodes
parent	parent node
following-sibling	siblings following the node
preceding-sibling	siblings preceding the node
child	immediate children
descendant	all the descendant irrespective of the nesting level
## Remarks#
These axes can be used in combination with other functions to suit our needs.
## Find My ancestors
XML

<GrandFather name="Bardock" gender="male" spouse="Gine">
    <Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
        <Me name="Gohan" gender="male"/>
        <brother name="Goten" gender="male"/>
    </Dad>
</GrandFather>

XPATH

//Me/ancestor::node()

OUTPUT

<GrandFather name="Bardock" gender="male" spouse="Gine">
  <Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
    <Me name="Gohan" gender="male" />
    <brother name="Goten" gender="male" />
  </Dad>
</GrandFather>
<Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
  <Me name="Gohan" gender="male" />
  <brother name="Goten" gender="male" />
</Dad>

Find My Parent

XML

<GrandFather name="Bardock" gender="male" spouse="Gine">
    <Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
        <Me name="Gohan" gender="male"/>
        <brother name="Goten" gender="male"/>
    </Dad>
</GrandFather>

XPATH

//Me/ancestor::Dad

//Me/parent::node()

OUTPUT

<Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
  <Me name="Gohan" gender="male" />
  <brother name="Goten" gender="male" />
</Dad>

Find my grand father

XML

<GrandFather name="Bardock" gender="male" spouse="Gine">
  <Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
    <Me name="Gohan" gender="male" />
    <brother name="Goten" gender="male" />
  </Dad>
</GrandFather>

XPATH

//Me/ancestor::GrandFather

//Me/parent::node()/parent::node()

OUTPUT

<GrandFather name="Bardock" gender="male" spouse="Gine">
  <Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
    <Me name="Gohan" gender="male" />
    <brother name="Goten" gender="male" />
  </Dad>
</GrandFather>

Find my brother

XML

<GrandFather name="Bardock" gender="male" spouse="Gine">
  <Dad name="Goku" gender="male" spouse="Chi Chi">
    <brother name="Goten" gender="male" />
    <Me name="Gohan" gender="male" />
    <brother name="Goten" gender="male" />
  </Dad>
</GrandFather>

XPATH

//Me/following-sibling::brother

OUTPUT

<brother name="Goten" gender="male" />

Get all avatars before Parashurama

XML

<Dashavatar>
    <Avatar name="Matsya"/>
    <Avatar name="Kurma"/>
    <Avatar name="Varaha"/>
    <Avatar name="Narasimha"/>
    <Avatar name="Vamana"/>
    <Avatar name="Balabhadra"/>
    <Avatar name="Parashurama"/>
    <Avatar name="Rama"/>
    <Avatar name="Krishna"/>
    <Avatar name="Kalki"/>
</Dashavatar>

XPATH

//Avatar[@name='Parashurama']/preceding-sibling::node()

OUTPUT

<Avatar name="Matsya"/>
<Avatar name="Kurma"/>
<Avatar name="Varaha"/>
<Avatar name="Narasimha"/>
<Avatar name="Vamana"/>
<Avatar name="Balabhadra"/>

Get all avatars after Parashurama

XML

<Dashavatar>
    <Avatar name="Matsya"/>
    <Avatar name="Kurma"/>
    <Avatar name="Varaha"/>
    <Avatar name="Narasimha"/>
    <Avatar name="Vamana"/>
    <Avatar name="Balabhadra"/>
    <Avatar name="Parashurama"/>
    <Avatar name="Rama"/>
    <Avatar name="Krishna"/>
    <Avatar name="Kalki"/>
</Dashavatar>

XPATH

//Avatar[@name='Parashurama']/following-sibling::node()

OUTPUT

<Avatar name="Rama" />
<Avatar name="Krishna" />
<Avatar name="Kalki" />

Get all avatars except the current one (Parusharama)

XML

<Dashavatar>
    <Avatar name="Matsya"/>
    <Avatar name="Kurma"/>
    <Avatar name="Varaha"/>
    <Avatar name="Narasimha"/>
    <Avatar name="Vamana"/>
    <Avatar name="Balabhadra"/>
    <Avatar name="Parashurama"/>
    <Avatar name="Rama"/>
    <Avatar name="Krishna"/>
    <Avatar name="Kalki"/>
</Dashavatar>

XPATH

//Avatar[@name='Parashurama']/following-sibling::Avatar | //Avatar[@name='Parashurama']/preceding-sibling::Avatar

OUTPUT

<Avatar name="Matsya" />
<Avatar name="Kurma" />
<Avatar name="Varaha" />
<Avatar name="Narasimha" />
<Avatar name="Vamana" />
<Avatar name="Balabhadra" />
<Avatar name="Rama" />
<Avatar name="Krishna" />
<Avatar name="Kalki" />

Get all the details (child nodes) of House

XML

<House>
    <Rooms>10</Rooms>
    <People>4</People>
    <TVs>4</TVs>
    <Floors>2</Floors>
</House>

XPATH

/House/child::node()

OUTPUT

<Rooms>10</Rooms>
<People>4</People>
<TVs>4</TVs>
<Floors>2</Floors>

Get all rooms (immediate children named Room) in House

XML

<House>
    <numRooms>4</numRooms>
    <Room name="living"/>
    <Room name="master bedroom"/>
    <Room name="kids' bedroom"/>
    <Room name="kitchen"/>
</House>

XPATH

/House/child::Room

/House/*[local-name()='Room']

OUTPUT

<Room name="living" />
<Room name="master bedroom" />
<Room name="kids' bedroom" />
<Room name="kitchen" />

Get all rooms (irrespective of the position) in House

XML

<House>
    <numRooms>4</numRooms>
    <Floor number="1">
        <Room name="living"/>
        <Room name="kitchen"/>
    </Floor>
    <Floor number="2">
        <Room name="master bedroom"/>
        <Room name="kids' bedroom"/>    
    </Floor>
</House>

XPATH

/House/descendant::Room

OUTPUT

<Room name="living" />
<Room name="kitchen" />
<Room name="master bedroom" />
<Room name="kids' bedroom" />