XSD - Define a complex type using type attribute or directly by naming

Complex Element is an XML element which can contain other elements and/or attributes. We can create a complex element in two ways −

• Define a complex type and then create an element using the type attribute

• Define a complex type directly by naming

Define a Complex Type and then create an element using type attribute.

Here JobHistory element is referring to  JobType complex type using type attribute

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252" ?>

<xsd:schema xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns="http://www.poc.org" xmlns:ns0="http://www.poc.org" targetNamespace="http://www.poc.org"

            elementFormDefault="qualified">

  <xsd:element name="HREmployeeData">   

    <xsd:complexType>

      <xsd:sequence>

        <xsd:element name="First" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="Last" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="Phone" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="Income" type="xsd:double"/>

        <xsd:element name="Status" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="JobHistory" type="ns0:JobType"/>

      </xsd:sequence>

    </xsd:complexType>

  </xsd:element>

    <xsd:complexType name="JobType">

      <xsd:sequence>

        <xsd:element name="JobTitle" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="Salary" type="xsd:double"/>

      </xsd:sequence>

    </xsd:complexType>

</xsd:schema>

Define a complex type directly by naming

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252" ?>

<xsd:schema xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns="http://www.example.org"

            targetNamespace="http://www.example.org" elementFormDefault="qualified">

  <xsd:element name="HREmployeeData">

    <xsd:complexType>

      <xsd:sequence>

        <xsd:element name="First" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="Last" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="Phone" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="Income" type="xsd:double"/>

        <xsd:element name="Status" type="xsd:string"/>

        <xsd:element name="JobHistory">

          <xsd:complexType>

            <xsd:sequence>

              <xsd:element name="JobTitle" type="xsd:string"/>

              <xsd:element name="Salary" type="xsd:double"/>

            </xsd:sequence>

          </xsd:complexType>

        </xsd:element>

      </xsd:sequence>

    </xsd:complexType>

  </xsd:element>

</xsd:schema>