View-Based Tree-Language Rewritings for XML

We study query rewriting using views (QRV) for XML. Our queries and views are regular tree languages (RTLs) represented by tree automata over marked alphabets, where the markers serve as “node selectors”. We formally define query rewriting using views for RTLs and give an automata-based algorithm to compute the maximally contained rewriting. The formalism we use is equal in power with Monadic Second Order (MSO) logic, and our algorithm for computing QRV is the first to target this expressive class. Furthermore we prove a tight lower bound, thus showing that our algorithm is optimal. Another strength of our automata-based approach is that we are able to cast computing QRV into executing a sequence of intuitive operations on automata, thus rendering our approach practical as it can be easily implemented utilizing off-the-shelf automata toolboxes. Finally, we generalize our framework to account for more complex queries in the spirit of the FOR clause in XQuery. For this generalization as well, we give an optimal algorithm for computing the maximally contained rewriting of queries using views.