System and method providing diffgram format

A computer-implemented method for exchanging XML data, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining whether changes to a plurality of XML data sources exist;
• and
• when changes to the plurality of XML data sources exist:
• constructing, by a computer device, an XML diffgram that contains:
• a root element,
• an instance data element, the instance data element being a child element of the root element, wherein child elements of the instance data element contain data representing current states of records in a first XML data source in the plurality of XML data sources, and
• a before element, the before element being a child element of the root element, wherein child elements of the before element contain data representing previous states of records in the first XML data source;
• transmitting the XML diffgram to another computer device, the other computer device using the XML diffgram to synchronize the first XML data source and a second XML data source in the plurality of XML data sources.

A computer readable medium comprising computer executable components that, when executed by a computer device, cause the computer device to:

• pull one or more records in a first XML data source into a buffer;
• detect differences between the buffer and a second XML data source;
• in response to detecting differences between the buffer and the second XML data source, generate an XML diffgram comprising:
• a root element;
• an element identifying an XML schema that describes a format of the XML diffgram;
• an instance data element, the instance data element being a child element of the root element, child elements of the instance data element specifying current states of each record in the second XML data source,
• wherein when records in the second XML data source are inserted or modified, the child elements of the instance data element include attributes indicating the records are inserted or modified,
• wherein when records in the second XML data source have errors, the child elements of the instance data element include attributes indicating the records have errors;
• a before element, the before element being a child element of the root element, wherein child elements of the before element include data representing a previous state of a record in the second XML data source when the differences between the buffer and the second XML data source include a difference between a current state of the record and a previous state of the record, the before element not including child elements for records inserted into the second XML data source;
• an error element, the error element being a child element of the root element, the error element having child elements corresponding to records in the second XML data source having errors, the child elements of the error element containing data representing error indications that provide diagnostic or administrative information as to reasons records in the second data source have changed, the error indications being elements comprising human-readable data;
• and
• an end tag that indicates an end of the XML diffgram;
• and
• transmit the XML diffgram to another computer device via a network, the other computer device using the XML diffgram to synchronize the first XML data source and the second XML data source.