To convert XML to JSON online, paste well-formed XML into XML Formatter & Converter and choose Convert with JSON as the output format. The tool maps elements, attributes, and text into a JSON structure you can copy, download, or send to another workflow. It is free, requires no signup, and runs in your browser.
Why Convert XML To JSON
Many modern APIs, logs, and browser tools speak JSON natively. XML still appears in enterprise integrations, SOAP services, exported configs, RSS feeds, and legacy files. Converting XML to JSON lets you inspect the same data in a tree viewer your team already uses, feed it into a spreadsheet pipeline, or compare it with a JSON API response without rewriting the source by hand.
Conversion is a structural rewrite, not a semantic guarantee. Element names become keys, attributes may become properties or metadata fields, repeated elements may become arrays, and text nodes may appear as string values. The exact mapping depends on the converter rules and the shape of your XML. Always review the output before treating it as production data.
How To Convert XML To JSON Online
- Open XML Formatter & Converter .
- Paste XML, open a local file, load a sample, or use Import URL when CORS allows.
- Validate or format the document so parsing succeeds.
- Choose Convert and set the output format to JSON.
- Copy, download, or inspect the JSON tree before using the result.
If the XML does not parse, fix syntax errors first. Invalid XML cannot produce reliable JSON. For syntax help, see validate XML online .
XML To JSON Example
This small order snippet uses elements and attributes:
<order id="ORD-10482">
<customer vip="true">
<name>Ada Lovelace</name>
</customer>
<items>
<item sku="KB-61" qty="1"/>
</items>
</order>A typical conversion produces a JSON object with nested keys and arrays. Attribute handling may vary by tool rules, so inspect the actual output in the workspace:
{
"order": {
"id": "ORD-10482",
"customer": {
"vip": "true",
"name": "Ada Lovelace"
},
"items": {
"item": {
"sku": "KB-61",
"qty": "1"
}
}
}
}Attributes, Repeated Elements, And Text Nodes
Attributes are often the trickiest part of XML-to-JSON mapping. Some converters prefix attributes with a symbol, some nest them beside child elements, and some flatten them into sibling keys. Repeated sibling elements such as multiple item nodes usually become JSON arrays when the converter detects a list pattern. A single child may remain an object instead of a one-item array.
Mixed content—text and elements in the same parent—can also change the JSON shape. If your XML uses rich text inside elements, review whether text landed in the field you expected. Conversion helpers are best-effort, not a full replacement for a domain-specific schema mapping.
Convert XML To JSON-LD And Code Helpers
XML Formatter & Converter also supports JSON-LD output and code-helper formats such as TypeScript, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Lua. These options are useful when you need a typed interface stub, a quick object literal, or a language-specific view of the same tree. Treat generated code as a starting point and edit names, nullability, and array shapes to match your real API contract.
For tabular exports instead of object trees, see convert XML to YAML and CSV . For the reverse direction, use JSON Formatter & Converter or read convert JSON to XML .
SOAP, WSDL, And Namespaced XML
SOAP envelopes and WSDL files use namespaces heavily. Conversion still works when the XML is well-formed, but JSON keys may include namespace prefixes or URI-like segments depending on how elements were declared. Use the namespace inventory and XPath tester to understand the source tree before assuming the JSON keys match your integration names.
For SOAP-specific samples and namespace workflows, read SOAP and WSDL XML formatter and XML XPath tester online .
Compare JSON After Conversion
When you convert two XML versions to JSON for review, compare the original XML documents in the formatter when possible. XML Compare mode highlights structural changes at the element level, which is often clearer than diffing JSON keys that were generated from attributes. If you already have JSON on both sides, JSON Formatter & Converter includes compare mode for JSON as well.
For XML-specific diff guidance, see compare XML online .
Empty Elements, Self-Closing Tags, And Mixed Content
Empty elements such as {``} and explicit open-close pairs such as {``} often map to different JSON shapes depending on converter rules. Some outputs use null, empty strings, or omit the key entirely. Mixed content—text and child elements in the same parent—can produce surprising keys when text nodes sit beside structured children.
When conversion output looks wrong, return to formatted XML and the tree viewer. Confirm whether the source used attributes for data that you expected as child elements, or vice versa. Many integration bugs are naming and placement issues rather than broken XML syntax.
JSON Arrays From Repeated Siblings
Repeated sibling elements are the usual signal for JSON arrays. Two item elements under items often become an array of objects with sku and qty fields. A single item may remain one object instead of a one-element array. That difference matters when your downstream code always expects an array. Inspect the converted JSON carefully when the source document might contain either one or many siblings with the same name.
XPath can confirm how many siblings exist before conversion. Run count(/order/items/item) or an equivalent path on your document, then compare that number with the array length in JSON output. For XPath help, see XML XPath tester online .
Download, Copy, And Hand Off JSON
After conversion, copy the JSON into another tool, download a file for a teammate, or open it in JSON Formatter & Converter for pretty print, validation, tree view, and compare. Treat the handoff as a review step: format the JSON, confirm keys and array shapes, then minify only if the destination needs compact text.
If the JSON will be embedded inside another payload, use JSON stringify helpers in the JSON formatter cluster when you need an escaped string value rather than a raw object tree.
Practical Conversion Workflow
A reliable workflow starts with valid XML. Paste or open the source, validate it, format it for inspection, then convert to JSON. Scan the output for attribute placement, array shapes, and empty elements. If the JSON will feed another system, paste a small sample into that system before moving the full file.
When conversion is only for human review, pretty print the JSON in JSON Formatter & Converter after export. When conversion is for transport, minify only after you confirm the structure is correct.
Samples in XML Formatter & Converter let you test conversion on order, SOAP, WSDL, and config presets before touching production traffic. That preview reduces the chance of publishing a JSON example with the wrong key names in documentation or support replies.
Privacy And Browser Behavior
Conversion runs in your browser. You do not need to sign up. Opening a local file reads it into the workspace. Download saves JSON back to your device. Import URL contacts a remote address only when you use that action, and the request is made by your browser directly when CORS allows.
When To Convert XML To JSON
Convert when a JSON-native tool needs the same data, when you want a second opinion on structure, when you are migrating off XML-based configs, or when you need to compare a SOAP payload with a REST response. Do not convert when a schema-aware XML pipeline already owns the contract and expects the original element model.
For a full tool overview, see XML formatter online and the XML Formatter guide.
Keep exploring: XML formatter online , convert XML to YAML and CSV , SOAP and WSDL formatter , and validate XML online . Full walkthrough: XML Formatter guide. Category: XML formatter blog.