XML to JSON Converter

How to use it

1. Paste XML or JSON, or drop a file — the badge names the detected direction; a click or the s key overrides it.
2. Set the direction's options — attribute mode, always-array names, coercion, namespaces, comments, empty elements — with inline help.
3. Read the shape report under the output: it counts every attribute, array and mixed-content decision.
4. Copy or download the result (.json or .xml), or share the state as a link — credential-shaped input is never stored.

XML carries attributes, repeated elements and mixed content — JSON has no native slot for any of them, so every converter picks a mapping. This tool makes the mapping explicit — @-prefixed attributes, an always-array list, a #text key — and counts each decision in a shape report. Best for data-shaped XML; markup woven through prose loses structure, and XSD validation and XSLT are out of scope.

How it works

An XML element can state a fact twice — id="7" as an attribute, <id> as a child — so attributes take an @ prefix: reversible, collision-proof. Merge writes plain keys, falling back to @ on a clash; drop discards and counts.

Repetition drives arrays: three <item> siblings convert to an array, one to a lone value — a feed's JSON shape follows its entry count. The always-array list pins names to arrays at every count.

Text beside element children is mixed content: it survives on #text with a warning, because JSON cannot record how text and elements interleaved.

Coercion defaults off: XML text is untyped and guessing is lossy — 007 becomes 7, 1.10 becomes 1.1. Opted in, only tokens that survive unchanged convert; each refusal is listed.

Examples

<user id="7"><name>Ana</name></user>

{
  "user": {
    "@id": "7",
    "name": "Ana"
  }
}

<items><item>a</item></items>

{
  "items": {
    "item": [
      "a"
    ]
  }
}

{"order": {"@status": "paid", "lines": [{"sku": "A1"}, {"sku": "B2"}]}}

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<order status="paid">
  <lines>
    <sku>A1</sku>
  </lines>
  <lines>
    <sku>B2</sku>
  </lines>
</order>

<id>007</id>

{
  "id": "007"
}

Every example on this page is executed against the same engine that powers the tool, on every build.

Common errors

Expected closing tag 'title' (opened in line 1, col 7) instead of closing tag 'feed' at line 1, column 21 — probable cause: <title> is still open; close it before closing its parent.

The validator names the tag left open, the tag that tried to close, and the position, with a caret frame. XML closes inside-out — fix the first reported tag.

Unexpected '}' at line 1, column 16 — probable cause: trailing comma after the last property.

The JSON direction reuses the JSON validator, so line, column and probable cause arrive verbatim. Strict JSON permits no trailing comma — delete it and convert.

1 mixed-content region preserved as #text — review it

A review flag, not a failure: the text is kept but its position among the children is not — check that region before trusting the JSON.

Input is larger than the 50 MB limit for this tool. For bigger files use the CLI: yq -p xml -o json feed.xml

The page-side refusal: nothing is parsed, truncated or uploaded; the input pane keeps your text. yq converts XML of any size on your machine.

Keyboard shortcuts

⌘/Ctrl + Enter

Convert again now, at any input size.

⌘/Ctrl + S

Download the output — .json or .xml by direction.

⌘/Ctrl + C

Copy the whole output when nothing is selected.

⌘/Ctrl + Shift + C

Copy the whole output even over a selection.

s

Swap direction; one undo restores.

t

Advance the theme.

? or ⌘/Ctrl + /

Open the shortcut overlay.

Esc

Close the topmost overlay; the panes stay.