DevToolKit

JSON to XML Converter

Convert JSON data to XML format online for free. Handles nested objects, arrays, and all JSON data types. Client-side processing keeps your data completely private.

Schema Logic

Use @ for attributes
Use #text for content
Add type="string|num"

Formatting

Pro-tip: Start keys with @ to create attributes. Use #text for element content.

0.3 KB
XML Output
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root version="1.0">
  <project>
    <name>DevToolkit</name>
    <description>High-performance dev utilities</description>
    <stats>
      <tools>100</tools>
      <stars>1500</stars>
    </stats>
    <item>web</item>
    <item>design</item>
    <item>security</item>
    <meta author="Gemini">Created in 2026</meta>
  </project>
</root>
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How to Use

Converting JSON to XML is a common requirement when integrating modern REST APIs with legacy SOAP services or XML-based systems. This free online converter transforms any valid JSON document into well-formed XML with proper nesting and indentation. Here is how to use it:

  1. Paste your JSON into the input area. The tool accepts any valid JSON including objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, and null values at the root level.
  2. Click "Convert" to transform the JSON into XML. The converter parses the JSON, maps each element to its XML equivalent, and generates properly indented output.
  3. Review the XML output in the right panel. The generated XML includes an XML declaration, a root element, and properly nested child elements matching the JSON structure.
  4. Copy the result by clicking the copy button. The XML is ready to paste into your SOAP client, XML editor, configuration file, or any system that accepts XML input.

Conversion Rules

Understanding how JSON structures map to XML helps you predict and validate the converter output:

  • Objects become elements — Each key in a JSON object becomes an XML element tag, and the value becomes the element content. Nested objects produce nested XML elements.
  • Arrays become repeated elements — JSON arrays are represented as multiple XML elements with the same tag name. This is the standard convention since XML does not have a native array construct.
  • Primitive values become text content — Strings, numbers, booleans, and null values are serialized as the text content of their parent XML element.
  • Special characters are escaped — XML-reserved characters in values (such as less-than, greater-than, ampersand, and quotation marks) are automatically escaped to ensure the output is well-formed XML.

About This Tool

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and XML (Extensible Markup Language) are the two dominant data interchange formats in software development. JSON, defined in RFC 8259, was introduced in the early 2000s as a lightweight alternative to XML for web applications. XML, a W3C standard since 1998 (XML 1.0, Fifth Edition), remains deeply embedded in enterprise systems, government services, and legacy platforms. Converting between these formats is a fundamental integration task.

The key structural difference between JSON and XML lies in their data models. JSON has a small set of types: objects (unordered key-value maps), arrays (ordered lists), strings, numbers, booleans, and null. XML represents everything as elements, attributes, and text nodes within a hierarchical document. XML has no native concept of arrays, numbers, or booleans; all values are text unless a schema specifies otherwise. This fundamental mismatch means that JSON-to-XML conversion requires establishing mapping conventions.

Mapping Conventions

Several conventions exist for mapping JSON to XML. The most straightforward approach, used by this tool, maps each JSON key to an XML element and each value to the element's text content. Arrays are represented by repeating the parent element name for each item. This produces clean, readable XML that follows common enterprise patterns.

Alternative mapping strategies include using XML attributes for simple values and elements for complex ones, adding type attributes to preserve JSON type information, and using wrapper elements for arrays (such as a "colors" element containing multiple "color" children). The choice of convention depends on the target system's expectations and any XML Schema (XSD) requirements.

Format Comparison

JSON is generally more compact than XML because it does not require closing tags, does not use attributes, and has built-in support for arrays and typed values. A typical JSON document is 30-50% smaller than its XML equivalent. JSON is also faster to parse in web browsers since JavaScript engines have native, highly optimized JSON parsers. However, XML offers features that JSON lacks: namespaces for avoiding naming conflicts, schemas (XSD) for strict validation, XSLT for document transformation, and XPath/XQuery for powerful querying.

In modern web development, JSON dominates for REST APIs, configuration files, and client-server communication. XML remains essential in enterprise middleware (SOAP), document formats (XHTML, SVG, DOCX), government and healthcare standards (HL7, FHIR), and industries with established XML-based protocols like finance (FIX, FpML) and publishing (JATS, DocBook).

Why Use This Tool

Converting JSON to XML is a frequent requirement in integration scenarios where modern applications need to communicate with legacy or enterprise systems. Here are the most common situations that call for JSON-to-XML conversion:

  • SOAP web service integration — SOAP APIs exclusively use XML for request and response bodies. When your application works with JSON internally but needs to call a SOAP endpoint, converting the request payload from JSON to XML is required. Many payment gateways, government APIs, and ERP systems still use SOAP.
  • Enterprise system migration — Large organizations migrating from XML-based middleware to modern microservices often need bidirectional conversion during the transition period. JSON-to-XML conversion allows new services to feed data into legacy pipelines.
  • Document generation — Formats like SVG, XHTML, and RSS are XML-based. When generating these documents from JSON data sources (such as a CMS or API), conversion is the first step in the pipeline.
  • Configuration file transformation — Some tools require XML configuration (Maven pom.xml, Android manifests, .NET app.config) while your data may be stored in JSON format. Converting between formats lets you maintain a single data source.
  • Regulatory compliance — Industries like healthcare (HL7/FHIR), finance (FpML), and government often mandate XML formats for data exchange. Converting JSON data to compliant XML is a regulatory requirement in these sectors.

Privacy and Security

This converter runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server, stored in any database, or logged by any analytics system. This client-side approach makes it safe to convert JSON documents containing proprietary business data, personal information, API credentials, or any content subject to data protection regulations. Your data stays on your device from start to finish.

FAQ

How are JSON arrays converted to XML?
Each element in a JSON array is wrapped in an XML element using the parent key name as the tag. For example, a JSON array "items": [1, 2, 3] becomes three separate XML elements: <items>1</items>, <items>2</items>, <items>3</items>. This is the most common convention for representing arrays in XML.
Does the converter handle nested JSON objects?
Yes. Nested JSON objects are converted to nested XML elements. Each key becomes an XML tag, and the value becomes the content of that tag. The converter recursively processes all levels of nesting, preserving the complete data hierarchy in the XML output.
What happens to JSON null and boolean values?
JSON null values are converted to empty XML elements (self-closing tags). Boolean values true and false are converted to their string representations "true" and "false" as element text content. Numbers are also serialized as text since XML does not have built-in type distinctions.
Is my data sent to a server during conversion?
No. The entire conversion process runs in your browser using JavaScript. Your JSON data never leaves your device. This makes the tool safe for converting sensitive data including API responses, configuration files, and internal business data.
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