Developer Tools
Convert JSON to XML
JSON To XML for formatting, validating, converting, or cleaning JSON data in the browser.
Direct Answer
Use the JSON To XML Converter when a legacy system, SOAP API, RSS or Atom feed, or XML-based integration needs data that currently only exists as JSON.
Why JSON to XML Is Not a One-to-One Mapping
XML and JSON model data differently enough that converting between them always requires some decisions, since XML has concepts such as attributes, a mandatory single root, and mixed content that JSON simply does not have.
- XML documents must have exactly one root element, but a JSON value can be an object, array, or primitive at the top level
- JSON arrays have no built-in XML equivalent, so repeated elements or a wrapper element must be chosen
- XML distinguishes attributes from child elements; JSON only has key-value pairs, so the converter must decide which keys become which
- JSON's null, true, and false have no native XML type and are usually rendered as plain text or an empty element
Characters and Structure That Need Extra Handling
A handful of JSON values do not translate directly into valid XML text without escaping or restructuring, and it helps to check for these before relying on generated XML in production.
- Characters like an ampersand, angle brackets, and quotes inside string values must be escaped as XML entities
- JSON keys that are not valid XML element names, such as those starting with a number or containing spaces, need to be renamed or sanitized
- A top-level JSON array needs a synthetic wrapper root element added, since XML cannot start with a bare list
- Deeply nested JSON produces deeply nested XML with no attribute shorthand, making the output more verbose than the source
How to Use JSON To XML
- Paste or type your content into the input box.
- The transformed result appears instantly in the result panel below.
- Click Copy result to copy the output to your clipboard.
- Download .txt saves the transformed text as a file.
- Reset clears everything and lets you start over.
Reference
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Transform pasted text into a cleaner or different format. |
| Input | Text, lines, lists, or copied content. |
| Result | Transformed text ready to copy or download. |
| Best for | Cleanup, formatting, list preparation, and copy-paste workflows. |
| Category | Developer Tools |
| Works on | Desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers |
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A Focused JSON To XML Alternative
People looking for alternatives to JSONLint, Code Beautify, FreeFormatter, Browserling often want a simpler workflow. This json to xml focuses on the task first: clear inputs, a visible result, useful related tools, free access, and no account requirement.
- Puts the tool input and result near the top of the page
- Free to use with no account or payment step
- Includes focused explanations and related tools
- Designed to avoid misleading download buttons and forced interstitials
Useful Related Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my JSON need a root element when converted to XML?
XML requires every well-formed document to have exactly one top-level element that contains everything else, unlike JSON, which can have an object, array, or even a bare string or number at the top level. A converter typically wraps the output in a generic element like root to satisfy this requirement, which you may want to rename to something meaningful for your use case.
How are JSON arrays represented in XML since XML has no array type?
There is no single standard; the most common approach repeats the same element name once per array item, but some converters instead nest each item under an indexed or wrapper element. Check your target system's expected XML shape, since APIs that consume XML often expect one specific convention rather than accepting any valid representation of a list.
Should JSON keys become XML attributes or child elements?
JSON has no equivalent to XML's attribute versus element distinction, so most converters default to turning every key into a child element, since that is the safer, more universally compatible choice. Some converters offer an option to turn specially prefixed keys into attributes instead, which is a common convention for round-tripping XML that had attributes originally.
What happens to special characters like an ampersand or angle bracket when converting JSON to XML?
They must be escaped as XML entities, or the resulting XML would not be well-formed and would fail to parse in any XML consumer. A correct converter does this automatically; if you see raw special characters in your XML output, the conversion did not escape properly and the file should not be trusted as valid XML.
Can every JSON key become an XML element name?
Not directly. XML element names cannot start with a digit or contain spaces, and cannot start with the letters "xml" in any case, while JSON keys have none of these restrictions. Keys that violate XML naming rules typically get sanitized, so check the generated XML for renamed elements if your source JSON had unusual key names.
How is JSON null represented in the XML output?
There is no native XML equivalent to JSON's null, so it is commonly rendered as a self-closing empty element or as an element with an explicit nil marker if the converter supports XML Schema conventions. Plain empty elements and absent fields can look identical in XML, so document your convention if downstream code needs to distinguish null from empty string.
Why is my converted XML much longer than the original JSON?
XML requires an opening and closing tag for every element, unlike JSON's single closing brace or bracket per level, so the same data expressed in XML is inherently more verbose, especially for arrays with many items where the element name repeats for every entry. This is expected overhead of the XML format itself, not a sign of a conversion problem.
Can I convert JSON with numbers and booleans and keep their types in XML?
XML text content has no type system, so numbers and booleans become plain text, indistinguishable from a string that happens to say the same thing unless the consumer knows to expect a boolean there or you add an explicit type attribute. If downstream code needs typed values, it will need to parse the text content back into the appropriate type itself.
Does JSON to XML conversion add an XML declaration line automatically?
Most converters prepend a standard declaration line at the top of the output, since well-formed XML documents conventionally include one, even though it is technically optional in some contexts. If your target system rejects the declaration or expects a different encoding declared, you may need to remove or adjust that first line.
How do I convert a JSON array of objects into an XML list correctly?
Each object in the array typically becomes a repeated child element with the same tag name, with the object's keys becoming that element's own children. Confirm the wrapping and repeated element names match what your receiving system expects, since there is no single universal standard for this shape.
Why does my SOAP or legacy XML API reject the XML generated from my JSON?
Generic JSON to XML conversion produces well-formed but generic XML, whereas SOAP and many legacy XML APIs require a specific schema with exact element names, namespaces, and ordering that a generic converter does not know about. Use the generated XML as a structural starting point, then adjust element names, add required namespaces, and reorder fields to match the target schema.
Can JSON with mixed-type arrays convert cleanly to XML?
It can, but there is no way for XML to express that an array holds a mix of strings and numbers the way JSON's array syntax allows any mix of types, so each item just becomes text content in its own element regardless of its original JSON type. This is usually fine for consumption but means the type information has to be re-inferred or handled explicitly by whatever parses the XML.
What is the JSON To XML?
The JSON To XML is a free online utility for developer formatting, validation, and debugging tasks. It changes pasted text into the requested format and shows the transformed output ready to copy.