What is JSON to XML Converter?

JSON to XML Converter turns JSON objects and arrays into well-formed XML. Nested structures, arrays, and special characters are escaped correctly. Works well with SOAP APIs and legacy systems that expect XML input.

The converter escapes special characters (& < > " '), sanitises tag names that contain spaces or symbols, and offers two array styles: repeated elements (<book>...</book><book>...</book>) or a wrapper (<books><item>...</item></books>). You can choose the root element name, toggle the XML declaration, and turn pretty-print indentation on or off.

How to use

1. Step 1 — Paste your JSON data or upload a .json file. The tool validates the JSON before conversion.
2. Step 2 — Configure the root element name and choose how arrays should be represented (repeated elements or wrapped in a parent element).
3. Step 3 — View the generated XML with syntax highlighting, then copy to clipboard or download as an .xml file.

When to use

• Talking to a SOAP service or legacy enterprise API that only accepts XML payloads.
• Generating an XML sitemap or RSS feed from a JSON list of pages or posts.
• Producing test fixtures for an XSLT transformation or an XSD-validated pipeline.

Result

You need to convert a product catalog JSON ({"products": [{"id": 1, "name": "Widget"}]}) for a SOAP API. Set root element to 'catalog', and get properly nested <products><item><id>1</id><name>Widget</name></item></products> XML output.

FAQ

How do arrays get represented in the XML output?

Two options. 'Repeated elements' writes a sibling tag for every item ( <user>...</user><user>...</user> ), which most XSDs expect. 'Wrapped in parent' adds a container with <item> children ( <users><item>...</item></users> ), useful for stricter schemas that require named wrappers.

What happens to JSON keys that contain spaces or dots?

XML tag names can't have spaces or most punctuation, so the converter replaces invalid characters with underscores. A key like 'first name' becomes the tag <first_name>. Keys starting with a digit get an underscore prefix to keep the XML well-formed. Two key prefixes are special: a key beginning with @ becomes an attribute on its parent element (so "@id": 1 produces id="1"), and a #text key becomes the element's text content.

Will the output validate against my XSD or DTD?

It produces well-formed XML, but schema validation depends on element names, attribute placement, and order, which JSON doesn't capture. If you need attributes or strict ordering, rename keys in your JSON beforehand or post-process the XML with XSLT.

Why does the XML declaration <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> appear or disappear?

It's controlled by the 'Include XML Declaration' toggle. SOAP, sitemaps, and standalone XML files usually want it. Embedded XML fragments inside another document don't — turn it off to skip the line.

How are null values handled?

Null and undefined become self-closing tags, e.g. <middleName/>. That preserves the field's presence without committing to an empty string. If you need xsi:nil="true", convert the empty tag manually after generation — JSON has no native concept for it.

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