wow-api-xml-schema

WoW XML Schema

This skill documents the XML schema for World of Warcraft addon development. XML files define User Interface elements declaratively — frames, textures, font strings, fonts, and animations. While most UI functionality is also available in Lua via the Widget API, XML provides a structured way to define layouts, templates, and widget hierarchies.

Source of truth: https://warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/XML_schema XSD file: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Gethe/wow-ui-source/live/Interface/AddOns/Blizzard_SharedXML/UI.xsd Current as of: Patch 12.0.0 (Retail only) Scope: All XML elements and attributes used in WoW addon .xml files.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Write or read WoW addon .xml UI definition files
• Define frames, textures, font strings, or animations in XML
• Set up XML virtual templates (virtual="true") and inheritance (inherits="")
• Understand which XML attributes map to which Lua API calls
• Configure anchors, layers, scripts, key-values, or resize bounds in XML
• Set up the <Ui> root element with proper namespace declarations
• Use <Include> and <Script> tags to load files from XML
• Define <Font> or <FontFamily> objects for text styling
• Create animation groups and animations declaratively
• Build intrinsic frames (intrinsic="true")
• Understand XML element inheritance hierarchy (e.g., Button inherits from Frame inherits from LayoutFrame)

Relationship to Other Skills

Skill	Relationship
wow-api-widget	Covers the Lua-side Widget API methods called on widgets. This skill covers the XML-side declarative definitions. Many XML attributes map directly to Widget API methods.
wow-addon-structure	Covers .toc file format and addon loading. XML files are listed in .toc and loaded in order.
wow-api-framexml	Covers FrameXML helper functions and mixins. XML mixin and secureMixin attributes reference Lua mixins documented there.
wow-lua-api	Covers the Lua 5.1 environment. <Script> tags execute Lua code within that environment.

Widget Hierarchy (XML Elements)

<Ui>                          -- Root element; encloses all other tags
├── <Include />               -- Loads another .xml or .lua file
├── <Script />                -- Executes inline or file-based Lua code
├── <Font />                  -- Defines a reusable font object
├── <FontFamily />            -- Defines fonts per alphabet/locale
│
├── <LayoutFrame>             -- Abstract base: name, anchors, size, keyvalues, animations
│   ├── <Texture />           -- Draws an image, solid color, or gradient
│   │   ├── <MaskTexture />   -- Applies a mask to other textures
│   │   └── <Line />          -- Draws a line between two anchors
│   ├── <FontString />        -- Draws text
│   └── <Frame>               -- Handles events, user interaction, contains child widgets
│       ├── <Button>          -- Responds to clicks
│       │   ├── <CheckButton> -- Adds checked/unchecked state
│       │   └── <ItemButton>  -- Intrinsic frame extending Button
│       ├── <ColorSelect>     -- Color wheel + value picker
│       ├── <Cooldown>        -- Rotating edge / swipe overlay
│       ├── <EditBox>         -- Text input field
│       ├── <GameTooltip>     -- Tooltip formatting
│       ├── <MessageFrame>    -- Scrolling message display
│       ├── <Model>           -- 3D model rendering
│       │   ├── <PlayerModel>
│       │   │   ├── <DressUpModel>
│       │   │   └── <TabardModel>
│       │   ├── <CinematicModel>
│       │   └── <UiCamera>
│       ├── <ModelScene>      -- Scene-based 3D rendering
│       ├── <ScrollFrame>     -- Scrollable container
│       ├── <ScrollingMessageFrame> -- Intrinsic scrolling messages
│       ├── <SimpleHTML>      -- Renders HTML content
│       ├── <Slider>          -- Value selector within a range
│       ├── <StatusBar>       -- Fill bar (health, progress, etc.)
│       ├── <MovieFrame>      -- Video playback
│       ├── <ArchaeologyDigSiteFrame>
│       ├── <QuestPOIFrame>
│       └── <ScenarioPOIFrame>
│
└── <AnimationGroup>          -- Contains animations
    └── <Animation>           -- Abstract base for animations
        ├── <Alpha>           -- Fades opacity
        ├── <Scale>           -- Resizes
        │   └── <LineScale>
        ├── <Translation>     -- Moves position
        │   └── <LineTranslation>
        ├── <Path>            -- Moves through control points
        ├── <Rotation>        -- Rotates around an origin
        └── <TextureCoordTranslation> -- Shifts texture coordinates

Reference Files

Reference	Contents
XML-FOUNDATION.md	Terminology, XML namespace setup, <Ui>, <Include>, <Script>, <LayoutFrame> base element, <Anchors>, <Size>, <KeyValues>, <Animations>
XML-FRAME-TYPES.md	<Frame> and all subtypes: Button, CheckButton, ItemButton, ColorSelect, Cooldown, EditBox, GameTooltip, MessageFrame, Model (and subtypes), ScrollFrame, ScrollingMessageFrame, SimpleHTML, Slider, StatusBar, POI frames
XML-REGIONS.md	<Texture>, <MaskTexture>, <Line>, <FontString>, plus shared child elements: <Color>, <Gradient>, <TexCoords>, <Shadow>, <Inset>, <Dimension>
XML-FONTS.md	<Font>, <FontFamily>, <FontHeight>, <Member>
XML-ANIMATIONS.md	<AnimationGroup>, <Animation> base, <Alpha>, <Scale>, <LineScale>, <Translation>, <LineTranslation>, <Path>, <Rotation>, <TextureCoordTranslation>

Quick Example

A minimal XML file that shows a texture centered on screen:

<Ui xmlns="http://www.blizzard.com/wow/ui/"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.blizzard.com/wow/ui/
                        https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Gethe/wow-ui-source/live/Interface/AddOns/Blizzard_SharedXML/UI.xsd">
    <Frame parent="UIParent">
        <Size x="64" y="64"/>
        <Anchors>
            <Anchor point="CENTER"/>
        </Anchors>
        <Layers>
            <Layer level="ARTWORK">
                <Texture file="interface/icons/inv_mushroom_11" setAllPoints="true"/>
            </Layer>
        </Layers>
    </Frame>
</Ui>

Common XML Attribute Types

XSD Type	Lua Equivalent	Examples
xs:string	string	"MyFrame", "interface/icons/spell_nature_heal"
xs:boolean	boolean	"true", "false"
xs:int	number (integer)	"0", "42"
xs:float	number (float)	"1.0", "0.5"
xs:unsignedInt	number (non-negative integer)	"0", "255"
ui:FRAMEPOINT	string	"CENTER", "TOPLEFT", "BOTTOMRIGHT"
ui:FRAMESTRATA	string	"BACKGROUND", "LOW", "MEDIUM", "HIGH", "DIALOG", "FULLSCREEN", "FULLSCREEN_DIALOG", "TOOLTIP"
ui:DRAWLAYER	string	"BACKGROUND", "BORDER", "ARTWORK", "OVERLAY", "HIGHLIGHT"
ui:ORIENTATION	string	"HORIZONTAL", "VERTICAL"
ui:OUTLINETYPE	string	"NONE", "NORMAL", "THICK"
ui:ALPHAMODE	string	"DISABLE", "BLEND", "ALPHAKEY", "ADD", "MOD"
ui:INSERTMODE	string	"TOP", "BOTTOM"
ui:JUSTIFYHTYPE	string	"LEFT", "CENTER", "RIGHT"
ui:JUSTIFYVTYPE	string	"TOP", "MIDDLE", "BOTTOM"
ui:ANIMLOOPTYPE	string	"NONE", "REPEAT", "BOUNCE"
ui:ANIMSMOOTHTYPE	string	"NONE", "IN", "OUT", "IN_OUT", "OUT_IN"
ui:ANIMCURVETYPE	string	"NONE", "SMOOTH"
ui:KEYVALUETYPE	string	"nil", "boolean", "number", "string", "global"
ui:WRAPMODE	string	"CLAMP", "REPEAT", "CLAMPTOBLACK", "CLAMPTOBLACKADDITIVE", "CLAMPTOWHITE", "MIRROR"

Editor Setup

Use VS Code with the Red Hat XML extension for schema validation, autocompletion, and error checking in WoW XML files.