I didn't want to setup and run a bunch of tests to prove it but in general which is going to be the better performing XPath within an XSLT solution? I'm processing documents that come in many different namespaces, but the local names are generally the same.

vs.
We're using Saxon 8.9X processing XSLT 2.0. Is there a better alternative for a 2.0 namespace agnostic XPath?

You're going to have to measure it and see. I think it's rather unlikely that the difference will be noticeable.

Why are you using such an old version of Saxon?

__________________
Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/
Author, XSLT 2.0 and XPath 2.0 Programmer\'s Reference

We don't have a choice. It's a version built into another product that we're using on our SOA. If they upgrade, then we get a new version of Saxon. They haven't upgraded in a long time.

It's not ideal.

Perhaps we should try and find a security weakness in 8.9 which would force them to upgrade.

__________________
Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/
Author, XSLT 2.0 and XPath 2.0 Programmer\'s Reference

Ha! Well if you wouldn't write such great code, maybe there would be one!