XML to JSON Converter
Parse XML strings to clean JSON objects in your browser
About the XML to JSON Converter
XML still powers a huge portion of enterprise data exchange — SOAP web services, RSS and Atom feeds, Android resource files, Maven configurations, SVG graphics, and almost every legacy system integration you will encounter. But modern JavaScript applications expect JSON. Bridging that gap usually means writing a recursive DOM traversal or installing a parsing library. The XML to JSON Converter does that work instantly, in your browser, with no dependencies to install.
API integrators paste a raw SOAP response to understand its structure before writing a parser. WordPress and CMS developers convert RSS feed XML into JSON arrays to feed a custom frontend component. Android developers look up the shape of a parsed layout XML to understand what their code will receive at runtime. The split-pane layout shows your input XML on the left and the resulting JSON on the right simultaneously, updating as you type — so you can see exactly how each XML node maps to a JSON key.
The conversion follows a consistent set of rules. Element attributes become properties prefixed with "@" (so a tag attribute like id="42" becomes "@id": "42"). When an element has only text content, it converts to a plain string value. When multiple sibling elements share the same tag name, they convert to a JSON array. The "Beautify Output" toggle formats the JSON with two-space indentation for readability, or compact format for copy-pasting into minified contexts. If the XML is malformed, a descriptive error badge appears immediately — no silent failures.
How to Use the XML to JSON Converter
- Paste your XML into the left "XML Input" panel. The converter begins processing as you type.
- If the XML contains a syntax error — an unclosed tag, mismatched element, or illegal character — an error badge appears below the input with a description.
- Once valid XML is entered, the JSON output appears in the right panel automatically.
- Toggle "Beautify" to switch between indented (readable) and compact (minified) JSON output.
- Click "Copy JSON" to send the formatted result to your clipboard.
Why Use ToolForge’s XML to JSON Converter
- Uses the browser's native DOMParser API — no external library download, no npm dependency, and the same XML engine your browser already uses to render web pages.
- Real-time validation with descriptive error messages catches malformed XML immediately rather than returning an empty or corrupted output silently.
- Consistent attribute mapping (@prefix) and array detection (repeated sibling tags) produce predictable JSON that does not require post-processing to navigate.
- Client-side only — XML documents, which often contain sensitive business data or internal schema details, never leave your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are XML attributes handled in the JSON output?
Each attribute becomes a property prefixed with "@". For example, the tag <user id="42" role="admin"> becomes {"@id": "42", "@role": "admin"} in the JSON object for that node. This prefix distinguishes attribute properties from child element properties and is a widely used convention in XML-to-JSON mappings.
When does the converter produce a JSON array?
When multiple sibling XML elements share the same tag name, the converter groups them into a JSON array under that tag's key. For example, three <item> elements inside a <list> produce "item": ["first", "second", "third"]. A single <item> produces a plain string or object, not an array.
My XML has a namespace prefix like ns2:element — how does that appear in JSON?
The tag name including the prefix becomes the JSON key. So <ns2:element>value</ns2:element> converts to "ns2:element": "value". Namespace declaration attributes like xmlns:ns2 are preserved as "@xmlns:ns2" properties on their element.
Is my XML data sent to any server?
No. The DOMParser API is a browser built-in — parsing happens entirely in your browser's JavaScript engine. Your XML never leaves your device, which is important for SOAP payloads, configuration files, and internal API responses that contain sensitive data.
