Toolbly

XML to JSON Converter

Convert XML data into structured JSON format. This private, client-side tool is perfect for developers working with APIs and modern web applications.

Why Convert XML to JSON?

Bridging the Gap Between Legacy Data and Modern Applications

In the world of data interchange, XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) are two dominant formats. XML, with its tag-based structure, has been a long-standing choice for enterprise systems, SOAP APIs, and configuration files. However, the modern web has overwhelmingly embraced JSON for its simplicity, lightweight nature, and seamless integration with JavaScript, the language of the browser.

This **XML to JSON converter** is an essential utility for developers who need to bridge this gap. It provides a fast, reliable, and secure way to transform verbose XML data into a clean, easy-to-use JSON format, all without ever sending your data to a server.

Key Use Cases and Benefits:

  • Modern Web Development: Most front-end frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular are designed to work natively with JSON objects. Converting XML from a legacy backend makes it trivial to consume and display data in your application.
  • API Integration: When working with older SOAP or enterprise APIs that return XML, this tool allows you to quickly convert the response into JSON, which is the standard format for modern RESTful APIs.
  • Data Readability and Size: JSON is often more concise and easier for humans to read than XML, which can be verbose. Converting to JSON can reduce file size and make data structures easier to understand at a glance.
  • Simplified Data Manipulation: Parsing and manipulating JSON in JavaScript is straightforward and requires no external libraries. Converting XML to JSON first simplifies your data processing logic significantly.

How Our XML to JSON Converter Works

A Step-by-Step Guide to Data Transformation

  1. Paste Your XML Data: Copy your XML code and paste it into the "Input XML" text area. The tool is designed to handle well-formed XML, including nested elements, attributes, and text nodes.
  2. Click "Convert": Press the convert button. The tool uses your browser's built-in XML parser to create a tree-like structure from your input. This ensures a fast and standardized parsing process.
  3. Intelligent JSON Mapping: Our conversion logic then traverses this tree and intelligently maps it to a JSON structure:
    • XML tags are converted into JSON keys.
    • Text content within tags becomes string values.
    • XML attributes are preserved with an "@" prefix to distinguish them (e.g., <user id="1"> becomes {"@id": "1"}).
    • Repeated sibling tags (like multiple <item> elements) are automatically converted into a JSON array.
  4. Review and Use: The structured JSON output appears instantly, formatted for readability. You can now copy this clean JSON and use it directly in your code, API calls, or other applications. For complex JSON, we recommend using our JSON Formatter & Validator to analyze the output.

Related Tools & Reading

Explore other data formats and their importance.

Need to go the other way? Our JSON to XML Converter handles the reverse process with the same level of privacy and efficiency.

Working with configuration files? See how easily you can switch between formats with our XML to YAML Converter.

To learn more about the data format that powers the modern web, read our comprehensive guide: The Developer's Deep Dive into JSON.