JSON to XML & XML to JSON Converter
Convert JSON to XML or XML to JSON instantly in your browser. Fast, 100% private bidirectional conversion with attribute and array support.
Features
- Bi-Directional Conversion: Switch between XML to JSON and JSON to XML instantly with one click.
- XML Attribute Mapping: Preserves XML attributes using the standard
@_prefix notation in JSON. - Repeated Elements & Arrays: Sibling XML tags automatically convert to JSON arrays; JSON arrays serialize cleanly as repeated XML tags.
- CDATA & Text Node Support: Handles mixed content, text nodes (
#text), and raw CDATA blocks without data truncation. - 100% Client-Side Privacy: Parsing and serialization run entirely in your local browser runtime. Sensitive payloads never leave your computer.
- 1-Click Export & Download: Fast clipboard copy with feedback and one-click file download for
.xmland.jsonfiles.
How it works
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and XML (Extensible Markup Language) are two foundational data formats in modern software engineering. While JSON is the standard for modern RESTful APIs and browser clients, XML remains dominant in enterprise SOAP web services, RSS feeds, configuration files, and document processing systems.
To use this bidirectional converter:
- Choose your conversion mode: Select XML → JSON to parse XML markup into structured JSON, or JSON → XML to convert JSON data into valid XML tags.
- Enter your data: Type or paste your code into the left editor panel, or click Sample to load an illustrative configuration example.
- Convert: Click Convert to parse and format the result immediately in the right-hand panel.
- Export or Swap: Click Copy to copy the output to your clipboard, click Download to save the file, or use Swap to invert the transformation direction.
Use JSON/XML conversion at an integration boundary
This converter helps when a modern service exchanges JSON but a legacy SOAP, RSS, or document workflow still expects XML. A developer can convert a representative payload to inspect element names and attributes before implementing a permanent mapping.
Limit: JSON and XML have different data models, so a round trip may change ordering, types, attributes, namespaces, or mixed text. Treat the result as a transformation aid and test it against the receiving system's schema.
XML ↔ JSON Conversion Rules
Because XML is an ordered, document-centric markup language and JSON is an unordered, key-value data structure, transforming between the two requires consistent mapping conventions:
Attributes Mapping
Attributes on XML tags are prefixed with @_ in JSON. For instance, <note category="reminder"> becomes { "@_category": "reminder" }.
Text Nodes with Attributes
When an XML tag has both attributes and text content (e.g. <price currency="USD">29.99</price>), the text is mapped to a #text key in JSON.
Repeated Elements to Arrays
Multiple sibling tags with matching names are aggregated into a JSON array. Single elements map to individual values or objects.
CDATA Blocks
XML <![CDATA[...]]> blocks containing unescaped markup or special characters are safely extracted without entity escaping.
Practical Conversion Example
XMLInput Markup
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<bookstore>
<book category="computing" inStock="true">
<title lang="en">Clean Code</title>
<author>Robert C. Martin</author>
<price currency="USD">32.99</price>
</book>
</bookstore>JSONEquivalent Output
{
"bookstore": {
"book": {
"@_category": "computing",
"@_inStock": true,
"title": {
"@_lang": "en",
"#text": "Clean Code"
},
"author": "Robert C. Martin",
"price": {
"@_currency": "USD",
"#text": 32.99
}
}
}
}Understanding Round-Trip Limitations
Converting from XML to JSON and back to XML will preserve your core data hierarchy, but it does not guarantee a byte-for-byte exact copy of original XML documents. In particular:
- XML Comments: Comments (
<!-- comment -->) are dropped during JSON parsing because JSON specification lacks native comment syntax. - Attribute Ordering: XML does not define attribute order semantics, and JSON object keys are inherently unordered.
- Array Ambiguity: A single XML element cannot be definitively distinguished from a one-item list without a pre-existing XML Schema (XSD).
When Developers Convert JSON and XML
SOAP to REST Modernization
Legacy enterprise services often communicate via SOAP XML envelopes. Converting responses to JSON allows modern web and mobile apps to consume payloads with native JavaScript object handling.
RSS, Atom & Sitemap Processing
Web crawlers, content aggregators, and search engine sitemaps use XML. Converting XML feeds into JSON makes ingestion and array filtering straightforward in modern Node.js or Python pipelines.
Enterprise Financial & Healthcare Data
Standards such as HL7, SWIFT, and XML-based bank reconciliation files frequently require transformation to JSON for internal reporting dashboards and microservice architectures.
SVG & Office Document Inspection
SVG vector graphics and OpenXML documents (.docx, .xlsx) are structured XML. Converting their DOM trees into JSON enables programmatic data analysis and node extraction.
Your Data Stays in Your Browser
API responses and XML feeds often contain sensitive customer data, authentication keys, or proprietary schemas. DevToolkit processes all JSON and XML transformations entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. We never upload, log, or transmit your data to any remote server.
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JSON Validator
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JSON ↔ YAML Converter
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JSON ↔ CSV Converter
Convert JSON payloads to CSV for tabular handoffs, or parse CSV files into clean JSON objects.
JSON vs XML: In-Depth Guide
Comprehensive comparison of performance, file sizes, data types, and enterprise use cases.
What is JSON?
A complete reference guide to JSON data types, syntax rules, and error troubleshooting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are XML attributes represented in JSON?
XML attributes are mapped to JSON object properties prefixed with `@_`. For example, `<user id="101" role="admin">` converts to `{ "@_id": 101, "@_role": "admin" }`. When converting from JSON to XML, keys with the `@_` prefix are transformed back into element attributes on the enclosing tag.
How does the converter handle repeated XML elements?
When an XML parent contains multiple child elements with the same tag name (such as `<item>A</item><item>B</item>`), the parser groups them into a JSON array (`"item": ["A", "B"]`). In JSON to XML mode, arrays are expanded into repeated sibling XML elements sharing the array's property name.
Does round-tripping XML to JSON and back produce identical XML?
Not always byte-for-byte. While data values and structural relationships are preserved, XML formatting, attribute ordering, and XML comments are not stored in JSON. Furthermore, an isolated XML element will produce an object rather than an array unless multiple siblings exist. Review our documented mapping rules below for details.
Is this converter safe for private or proprietary API payloads?
Yes. All conversions run locally inside your browser using client-side JavaScript. DevToolkit never uploads, stores, or transmits your JSON or XML data to any server.