XML to JSON Converter
Convert XML data to JSON format with multiple input options. Paste XML data, load from URL, or upload a file to convert to structured JSON.
Input XML Data
Conversion Results
Enter XML data to convert
About XML to JSON Converter
A comprehensive XML to JSON converter that transforms XML documents into modern JSON format while keeping the element structure. Attributes and repeated elements are handled automatically, generating clean, JavaScript-ready JSON output.
Why use a XML to JSON Converter?
JSON format is lighter, easier to parse, and natively supported by JavaScript applications compared to XML. Converting XML to JSON enables modern web development, API integration, and simplified data processing while maintaining compatibility with NoSQL databases and REST services.
Who is it for?
Essential for modern web developers, API designers, and system architects migrating from XML-based systems to JSON. Perfect for developers working with legacy XML data sources who need JSON for React, Vue, or other JavaScript frameworks and modern web applications.
How to use the tool
Upload your XML file, paste XML content directly, or provide a URL to your XML source
Attributes, repeated elements and text content are converted automatically
Choose the JSON indentation: 2, 4 or 8 spaces, or minified
Check the generated JSON, which updates automatically, to verify structure and data accuracy
Download the JSON file or copy the output for use in web applications and APIs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert XML to JSON online?
Paste XML text, upload an .xml file, or load from a URL. The converter parses the XML and produces a JSON representation: elements become object properties, text content becomes string values, attributes are folded in with an '@_' prefix, and repeated elements become arrays. The output is valid JSON ready for use in JavaScript apps, REST APIs, or NoSQL databases. Copy or download as .json. Conversion runs entirely in your browser — your data never leaves the device. Common use: modernizing legacy XML feeds for consumption by modern code.
Does converting XML to JSON preserve the data structure?
Mostly. Both formats support nesting, but they differ in subtle ways. XML attributes need a convention to map to JSON — this tool uses an '@_' prefix in the key name. Mixed content (text + child elements at the same level) is awkward — JSON has no native equivalent. Namespace prefixes stay part of the key name (ns:item), and namespace declarations appear as attributes (@_xmlns:ns). CDATA is kept exactly, including inner whitespace, and joined with surrounding text with its spacing intact (Price: <![CDATA[<5]]> USD becomes Price: <5 USD). Leading and trailing whitespace of element text is trimmed, attribute values and CDATA are kept verbatim, whitespace-only indentation text is dropped, and text split by child elements is joined into one '#text' value. For most enterprise XML payloads (record-oriented, attribute-light), the conversion is clean and round-trippable.
Can I upload an XML file or load it from a URL?
Yes — all three input methods: paste XML text, upload a local .xml file, or fetch from a public URL. URL fetching requires the source to send CORS headers permitting cross-origin requests. For private endpoints or authenticated SOAP services, download the XML locally first. Files up to several MB convert quickly client-side.
What are the limitations of XML to JSON conversion?
Interleaved siblings lose their relative order: <a/><b/><a/> becomes a: [.., ..], b: .. because repeated elements are grouped, so the result cannot be turned back into the same document and is not round-trippable for mixed-content or document-style XML. The parser also has limits: an entity reference whose expansion contains further references is left literal (&e;), undefined entities pass through unchanged, � and surrogate references such as � are silently dropped, and the well-formedness check is lenient, so some malformed documents are accepted. Documents nested deeper than 100 levels, or whose entity expansion exceeds about 100 KB, are rejected with a terse error.
Is my XML data sent to a server when I convert?
No. Conversion runs in your browser via JavaScript. The data never reaches a server, never gets logged. Verify in DevTools' Network tab: converting produces zero HTTP requests. The exception is URL loading, where your browser fetches the source from the URL you provided (the URL host sees that request, but no Toolsana server is involved). Safe for sensitive enterprise XML, financial messages, healthcare HL7, or proprietary API responses.
How are XML attributes represented in JSON?
Attributes get an '@_' prefix in the key name. <user id="42" name="Joe"></user> becomes {user: {'@_id': 42, '@_name': 'Joe'}}. If the element also has text content, the text goes under the key '#text': <user id="42">Joe</user> becomes {user: {'@_id': 42, '#text': 'Joe'}}. Values are typed only when that is reversible: 42 becomes a number, exactly true/false become booleans, and values like 007 or 1.10 stay strings. Different XML-to-JSON converters use different conventions (some omit prefixes, some use '$attr' or 'attributes'); this one matches the shape JSON to XML reads back. The prefix is fixed and cannot be changed.
Modernizing a legacy XML API consumer to JSON?
Canonical use case. Workflow: identify the XML endpoint, capture a sample response (curl, Postman, browser DevTools), convert via this tool, design your JavaScript / TypeScript types around the JSON shape, then replace your XML parser with a JSON parser in your application. For one-off discovery and prototyping, this tool is fast. For runtime conversion in production, use an XML parser in your own code. For round-tripping back to XML when needed, use [JSON to XML](/tools/json-to-xml/).
How much data can I convert at once?
Browser memory is the limit. The XML DOM in memory can be 3-5x the source size; up to ~10 MB XML / a few hundred thousand elements converts in 1-3 seconds. JSON output is typically smaller than the source XML (no closing tags, less verbose). Past 50 MB XML input, the browser may slow significantly or run out of memory. For very large XML files, split them into smaller pieces. This tool fits the common 10 KB to few-MB case.
When does XML→JSON conversion get tricky?
Four common cases. (1) Mixed content (text and elements interleaved at the same level) — JSON has no native equivalent; the converter joins the text pieces into a single '#text' value, so their position between the elements is lost. (2) Heavy namespace use — the JSON keys keep their prefixes (ns:item) and every declaration appears as an extra attribute key such as @_xmlns:ns. (3) XML schemas with optional fields — an absent element is simply missing from the JSON, and an empty element becomes an empty string. (4) Repeated elements when there might be just one — JSON arrays vs single objects look different. For complex XML, write a custom mapping rather than relying on auto-conversion. For straightforward XML, this tool's defaults are usually correct.
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