Why can draw.io not import any XML data, given it stores its own data in XML?

[davidjgraph]

XML is just a syntax—a way of structuring data using tags. What's more important is the semantics, or the meaning behind those tags.

You can think of XML like language. Giving draw.io an arbitrary XML file is like handing a PhD-level nuclear physics paper to someone who only speaks English and expecting them to understand it—just because it's written in English. They can read the words, but the meaning will be lost if they don’t understand the specific concepts and structure behind them.

Draw.io expects a very specific structure and meaning (semantics) in the XML: things like shapes, connections, styles, and layout must follow its internal model. So even if another XML file is syntactically correct, if it doesn’t follow draw.io’s rules, it’s like speaking the right language with the wrong grammar and vocabulary. It just won’t make sense.