Step 1: Identify the elements involved in XeF_4. Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas, and fluorine (F) is a highly electronegative nonmetal.
Step 2: Recall that ionic compounds typically form between metals and nonmetals, where electrons are transferred to form ions.
Step 3: Since xenon is a nonmetal and fluorine is also a nonmetal, the bonding between them is more likely to be covalent, involving the sharing of electrons.
Step 4: Consider the molecular structure of XeF_4, which is known to be a discrete molecule with covalent bonds rather than a lattice of ions, indicating it is not ionic or metallic.
Step 5: Conclude that XeF_4 is a covalent compound because it consists of covalently bonded atoms rather than ions or metallic bonding.