Java EE (Java Enterprise Edition) General Discussion

An XML document that conforms to a given DTD or XML Schema can be said to be well formed according to the XML syntax rules and valid according to that DTD or XML Schema.

Ant build files must be well formed XML documents. However, there are no formal DTD's or XML Schemas for Ant build files. Ant doesn't have DTD's or XML Schemas essentially because the rules for a valid Ant build file can change so easily. For example, Ant allows you to create your own types of XML elements and use them in your build files - which would immediately make your build file invalid according to the 'standard' DTD or XML Schema.

QUESTION : if ANT doent have a dtd file , how it is decided that it is well
formed or valid or wher r the rules defined ... please explain