JSON to XML Converter

Convert JSON to well-formed XML with configurable root element name

What is it and how does it work?

JSON and XML both represent hierarchical data, but they use fundamentally different syntax and have different strengths. JSON is compact, native to JavaScript, and dominant in REST APIs. XML is verbose but supports attributes, namespaces, comments, CDATA sections, and schemas (XSD) — making it the format of choice in enterprise systems, SOAP services, configuration files, and document formats like XHTML, SVG, and Office Open XML. Converting between them is a routine task when integrating systems that use different standards.

The mapping from JSON to XML is not always one-to-one: JSON arrays map to repeated XML elements with the same tag name, JSON keys become element names (which must be valid XML identifiers), and JSON's root object needs a wrapper element since XML requires a single root. This tool handles those rules transparently, lets you set the root element name, and optionally formats the output with readable indentation.

Common use cases

• API integration: a REST API returns JSON but a legacy enterprise system expects XML — convert the response payload before forwarding it.
• Configuration generation: generate an XML config file for a Java app or Spring framework from a JSON source of truth maintained by a frontend team.
• SOAP service wrapper: construct the XML body of a SOAP request from a JSON payload produced by a modern API layer.

Frequently asked questions

What happens to JSON arrays when converting to XML?

JSON arrays become repeated sibling elements with the same tag name. For example, ["a","b","c"] under a key "item" becomes <item>a</item><item>b</item><item>c</item>. Arrays of objects follow the same pattern with nested child elements.

What if a JSON key is not a valid XML element name?

XML element names cannot start with a number, contain spaces, or use certain special characters. The converter either sanitises invalid characters (replacing them with underscores) or wraps them in a CDATA element. Choosing meaningful, XML-safe keys in the source JSON avoids the problem.

Can I convert XML back to JSON?

Yes — the XML-to-JSON tool is the reverse operation. Note that round-tripping is not always lossless: XML attributes, namespaces and comments have no direct JSON equivalent and may be represented differently or lost.

Does XML preserve the data types from JSON (numbers, booleans)?

XML has no native type system — all values are text. Numbers and booleans become string content in XML elements. When converting back to JSON, a schema or explicit type hints are needed to restore the original types.

JSON

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