What is xmlns used for

Namespaces can be declared either explicitly or by default. With an explicit declaration, you define a shorthand, or prefix, to substitute for the full name of the namespace.

You use this prefix to qualify elements belonging to that namespace. Explicit declarations are useful when a node contains elements from different namespaces. A default declaration declares a namespace to be used for all elements within its scope, and a prefix is not used.

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Improve this answer. When using the urn form is best practice to use a domain name you own since others are highly unlikely to use a domain name they don't own in their urn definitions.

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