title: XML native database vs. Relations DB -- PHP vs. XQuery
body: <p>I'm trying to develop a website in which many recipes are stored, and retrieved for the clients. I had some courses about XML and native XML-based databases, and those courses introduced the concept of native XML databases. Besides, if I remember correctly, we learned that XQuery is the most suitable programming language for working with XML. Because of the semi-structure and not so tabular nature of a recipe, I guess(please correct me if I'm wrong) that it can be best expressed in an XML file, like below :</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;recipe&gt;
    &lt;ingredients&gt;
      &lt;name='floor' amount='500g'/&gt;
      &lt;name='y' amount='200g'/&gt;
    &lt;/ingredients&gt;
    &lt;steps&gt;
      &lt;step id='1'&gt; first prepare .....
    &lt;steps&gt;
  &lt;/recipe&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I know that relational databases have their advantages and glories over other options, however it would result in so many join operations on tables in this particular case. On the other hand, native XML databases don't seem very promising to me, regarding their performance and abilities to handle a large amount of data. Besides, programming in PHP is much more simpler than XQuery, considering the huge volume of tutorials and helps on internet. 
  I really don't know what to do, and that's why I came to you guys.</p>