Stop Telling Us XMPP Should Use JSON

XML remains the optimal wire format for XMPP despite common misconceptions favoring JSON. Stream-based parsing eliminates performance concerns, while XML provides superior extensibility, namespace management, and validation for deeply nested messaging structures. Real bottlenecks in XMPP deployments stem from network latency, database optimization, and clustering logic—not the serialization format. The protocol's complexity lies in its extensive XEP ecosystem and federation capabilities, making it ideal for systems requiring open standards, cross-organizational federation, and long-term protocol stability.