How does the use of short_open_tags affect working with XML in PHP?

When short_open_tags are enabled in PHP, it can conflict with XML processing because XML uses <?xml ?> tags which can be mistaken for PHP short tags <? ?>. To avoid this issue, it is recommended to disable short_open_tags in PHP configuration.

// Disable short_open_tags in PHP configuration
// This can be done in php.ini file by setting short_open_tag = Off