Abstract: An XML update facility is disclosed for an XQuery processor A modular system for updating an XML document comprises a query generator for converting one or more updates to the XML documents into one or more queries; an existing XML query engine for processing the one or more queries to generate one or more point updates that each update a node in the XML document; an update converter that converts the one or more point updates to one or more abstract interface representations of the one or more point updates, wherein the one or more abstract interface representations are executable units that can be individually executed using a point update facility; and an update evaluator that applies the one or more abstract interface representations to the XML document to update the XML document