JSON ↔ XML Converter
Paste JSON or XML data and convert between formats bidirectionally. Supports nested objects, arrays and attributes.
Reviewed by the ToolNestr Editorial Team — July 2026
How JSON-to-XML conversion works
The JSON-to-XML converter recursively maps each JSON key to an XML element. Primitive values (strings, numbers, booleans) become the element's text content, nested objects become child elements, and arrays produce multiple sibling elements with the same tag name. The root element wraps the entire output.
Special conventions enable XML features that have no JSON equivalent: keys prefixed with @ (e.g., "@id") are treated as element attributes, and the key "#text" represents the element's text content when the element also has attributes. The converter wraps the output in an XML declaration for proper document structure.
Worked example
API data format usage
How commonly each data format is used across modern APIs.
Full-stack Developer
Converts JSON API responses to XML for legacy SOAP integrations and generates XML feeds from JSON databases.
API Integrator
Bridges modern REST APIs with legacy XML-based systems by converting payloads between formats during data migration.
Data Migration Specialist
Transforms XML data exports from legacy systems into JSON for import into modern databases and cloud platforms.
SOAP Developer
Works with SOAP web services that require strict XML formatting. Converts JSON test payloads to XML for SOAP envelope construction.
| Feature | XML | JSON |
|---|---|---|
| Syntax | Tag-based with attributes | Key-value pairs |
| Data types | All strings (typed via schema) | Strings, numbers, booleans, null |
| Attributes | Native support | Not supported natively |
| Namespaces | Supported | Not supported |
| Schema validation | XSD, DTD | JSON Schema |
| File size | Largest | Compact |
| Parsing speed | Slow | Fast |
| Best for | Documents, SOAP, complex schemas | APIs, web apps, config |
How to use the JSON ↔ XML Converter
Choose direction
Toggle between JSON→XML or XML→JSON depending on your input format.
Paste and convert
Paste your data and click Convert. The result appears instantly in the output area below.
Copy or download
Copy the result to your clipboard or download it as an XML or JSON file.
Tips for JSON ↔ XML conversion
Use @ prefix for attributes
To create XML attributes in JSON, prefix the key with @ (e.g. "@id": "123"). Keys without the prefix become child elements.
Use #text for element text content
If an element has both attributes and text, use "#text" as the key for the text content. For simple elements, the value itself becomes the text.
Handle arrays consistently
JSON arrays map to repeated XML elements with the same name. Ensure your array items are consistent in structure for valid XML output.
What is XML?
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language designed for storing and transporting data. It uses custom tags, attributes, and a hierarchical tree structure. XML is both human-readable and machine-readable, and it supports schemas (XSD, DTD) for validating document structure and data types.
JSON vs XML
JSON is lighter, faster, and more concise than XML. It maps naturally to programming language data structures and is the dominant format for modern REST APIs. XML offers richer document features including attributes, namespaces, schemas, and mixed content. It remains essential in enterprise environments, SOAP services, document markup (SVG, XHTML), and configuration files.
When to use XML (legacy, SOAP, document markup)
XML is still the right choice for SOAP web services, document-centric applications (where order and mixed content matter), configurations that need schema validation, SVG graphics, RSS/Atom feeds, and enterprise integration scenarios where XML tooling and XSLT transformations are established.
Limitations and considerations for JSON to XML conversion
While JSON to XML conversion covers most common use cases, there are important limitations to understand. JSON and XML have fundamentally different data models. JSON uses objects, arrays, and primitive types, while XML uses a hierarchical tree of elements with attributes and text content. This structural difference means that certain XML features have no direct equivalent in JSON and must be handled through conventions.
XML namespaces are one such limitation. While basic namespace prefixes in tags are preserved during conversion, complex namespace declarations, xmlns attributes, and XSD schema references may not carry over correctly. If your XML relies heavily on namespaces for validation or data interpretation, verify the conversion output carefully and consider whether a specialised XML transformation tool is more appropriate for your use case.
XML document order can be significant. In XML, the order of child elements matters and is part of the document structure. JSON objects, however, have unordered keys according to the specification, although most implementations preserve insertion order. When converting from XML to JSON, element order is preserved in arrays but may be lost when converting back to XML from JSON if the ordering is not explicitly maintained.
Mixed content, where an XML element contains both text and nested child elements, presents another challenge. The converter simplifies mixed content by collecting text nodes separately, but complex mixed content structures with deeply interleaved text and elements may not produce the expected results. For documents with heavy mixed content, such as XHTML, manual verification of the output is strongly recommended.
Frequently asked questions
What is XML?
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language that encodes documents in a format both human-readable and machine-readable. It uses tags, attributes, and a tree structure.
How does JSON-to-XML conversion work?
Each JSON key becomes an XML element. Nested objects become child elements. Arrays produce repeated sibling elements. Primitives become text content.
Does the converter support XML attributes?
Yes. You can mark keys with an @ prefix in JSON (e.g. "@id") to create XML attributes instead of elements.
What happens to JSON arrays?
Arrays produce multiple XML elements with the same tag name. For example, ["a", "b"] with key "item" becomes <item>a</item><item>b</item>.
Can I convert XML with namespaces?
The converter handles basic namespace prefixes like <ns:tag>. Complex namespace processing may require a dedicated XML tool.
Is my data private?
Yes. Everything is processed in your browser — no data is uploaded to any server.
Why would I use XML instead of JSON?
XML is still required for SOAP APIs, document markup (XHTML, SVG), configuration files, and legacy enterprise systems where schemas and validation are important.
How are XML text nodes handled?
Text content is placed inside the element. If an element has both attributes and text, the key "#text" in JSON represents the text content.
What if my XML has mixed content?
Mixed content (text and child elements interleaved) is simplified — text nodes are collected and child elements are parsed as nested objects.
Does the converter handle CDATA sections?
Basic CDATA sections are parsed and their content is included as text. Advanced CDATA handling may require additional preprocessing.