Why does the * xpath abbreviation not include text nodes? -

in xpath expression $node/* why text nodes not included child nodes? because how xpath defined?

is because how xpath defined?

pretty much. in section 2.3 of xpath 1.0 spec, says:

a node test * true node of principal node type. example, child::* select element children of context node, , attribute::* select attributes of context node.

and further, in section 2.5, says:

• * selects element children of context node