XML Is a Cheap DSL
a day ago
- #Tax Software
- #Open Source
- #XML
- The IRS released a new Tax Withholding Estimator (TWE), a free, open-source tool allowing taxpayers to estimate their tax obligations and adjust paycheck withholdings.
- TWE uses XML for its Fact Dictionary, a declarative representation of the US Tax Code, demonstrating XML's utility in modern software development for cross-platform declarative specifications.
- The Fact Graph, a logic engine originally built for IRS Direct File, calculates tax obligations based on the Fact Dictionary, offering auditability and introspection for every calculation.
- XML's structure, despite being verbose, provides clarity and a universal tooling ecosystem, making it superior to JSON for domain-specific languages like the Fact Dictionary.
- The declarative nature of the Fact Dictionary allows for easy exploration and debugging of tax calculations, contrasting with the imperative approach of languages like JavaScript.
- XML's maturity and tooling support enabled quick development of debugging tools, showcasing its value as a universal data representation for complex, domain-specific problems.