XML and JSON model the same kind of nested data, but XML adds two things JSON does not have: attributes on an element, and no built in way to tell whether a repeated child tag should become an array or stay a single value. Every XML to JSON converter has to make a decision about both of those, and this one is explicit about it rather than silently guessing.
The parsing happens entirely in your browser using DOMParser, the same engine that renders XML and HTML documents natively, so nothing you paste or upload is ever sent to a server. A private data export or an internal API sample stays on your device from the moment you paste it to the moment you download the result.
When you should convert XML to JSON
Converting makes sense whenever the system you are building targets JavaScript, a REST API or any modern tool chain that expects JSON, but the data source is an older or enterprise system that only speaks XML, such as a SOAP response, an RSS feed or a legacy export file.
It is also a useful debugging step on its own, since seeing an XML document's structure rendered as explicit JSON keys and arrays can make it much clearer which elements repeat and which are unique, especially in a document with inconsistent formatting.
- Convert to JSON when integrating a SOAP or legacy XML API with a modern JavaScript application.
- Convert to JSON when parsing an RSS or Atom feed for use in a web app.
- Convert to JSON to inspect a complex XML document's structure more clearly.
- Keep XML when a schema validation step downstream specifically requires it.
Turning xml attributes to json keys
An XML element can carry attributes directly on its opening tag, something JSON objects have no equivalent for. This converter's default behaviour is to bring xml attributes to json as separate keys prefixed with an @ symbol, so an element like `<user id="1">` produces a JSON object containing an @id key alongside whatever the element's children produce.
Turning the attribute toggle off drops attributes from the output entirely and keeps only element content, which is the right choice when the attributes on your source document are purely metadata, such as a namespace declaration, that you do not need carried through into the JSON.
How domparser xml parsing catches malformed documents
The browser's DOMParser has an unusual failure mode worth knowing about: it never throws a JavaScript error for malformed XML. Instead, calling it on broken markup returns a document whose contents are a parsererror element describing the problem. This converter checks for that element explicitly after every parse and surfaces its message as a clear error rather than silently returning an empty or incorrect result.
Common causes of a parse failure include a tag that is opened but never closed, mismatched opening and closing tag names, and an ampersand or less than sign appearing in text content without being escaped as & or <. XML, unlike HTML, has no tolerance for unclosed tags, so even a small typo in a large document stops the whole thing from parsing.
How repeated elements become JSON arrays
When an XML element contains several child elements that share the same tag name, this converter collects them into a JSON array under that shared key, while a tag that appears only once becomes a plain object or string value instead of a single item array. This matches how most people expect repeated data to look in JSON, without forcing every element into an array regardless of how many times it actually appears.
A leaf element with no children becomes its trimmed text content directly, unless attributes are being kept, in which case the text is placed under a #text key alongside the attribute keys so no information from the source document is lost.
Using this XML to JSON converter without installing a library
Because the whole conversion runs in the browser using DOMParser, there is nothing to install and no package to add to a project just to try a single conversion. Paste your XML, convert, and copy the resulting JSON straight into your code editor or test file.
This also means there is no upload size limit imposed by a server, only the memory available to your browser tab, so even a sizeable XML export converts in well under a second on ordinary hardware.
How to convert XML to JSON
- 1
Add your XML
Paste XML into the text box, or drop a .xml file onto the upload area. Nothing leaves your device.
- 2
Decide on attributes
Leave attributes included to keep them as @prefixed keys, or turn the toggle off to drop them entirely.
- 3
Convert
Press convert. Malformed XML is reported with a clear description instead of failing silently.
- 4
Download or copy
Once conversion succeeds, download the JSON file or copy it straight to your clipboard.
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Sources and further reading
- MDN: DOMParserThe browser API this converter uses to parse XML, including its parsererror behaviour.developer.mozilla.org
- W3C: Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0The official XML specification defining well formed documents, elements and attributes.w3.org
- JSON.org: Introducing JSONThe official description of the JSON format this tool produces as output.json.org
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the xml to json converter.
Yes, with no signup and no limit on how many times you convert. Parsing happens locally in your browser using DOMParser, so there is no server side cost per conversion that would require charging for the tool or limiting how often you use it.
Attributes are included by default as separate keys prefixed with an @ symbol, so an id attribute on an element becomes an @id key in the resulting JSON object. Turning the attribute toggle off removes them from the output entirely if you only need element content.
The browser's DOMParser does not throw an error for broken XML, it returns a special error document instead, so this tool checks for that explicitly and shows you the parser's description of the problem, such as an unclosed tag or a mismatched closing tag name.
When a parent element contains more than one child sharing the same tag name, those children are collected into a JSON array under that tag. A tag that appears only once becomes a single object or string value instead, matching how most JSON consumers expect repeated data to be represented.
Yes. The entire conversion runs in your browser using the built in DOMParser API, so there is nothing to install and no package to add to a project. Paste your XML, convert, and the JSON is ready to copy or download immediately.
No. Parsing and JSON generation both happen locally in your browser tab, so a document containing sensitive data never leaves your device. You can confirm this by watching your browser's network panel while a conversion runs.