What root element is used?

You typically specify the root element name. If JSON is an object with one key, that key often becomes the root. Arrays need an explicit root and item element names.

How are JSON arrays converted?

Arrays become repeated elements. {"items": [1,2,3]} might become 1 2 3 . The inner element name varies by converter.

What about JSON null values?

Options: empty element ( ), xsi:nil attribute ( ), omit entirely, or use empty string. Choose based on the target XML schema requirements.

JSON to XML Converter

Guide & TutorialOffline

Convert JSON data to XML format

Convert JSON to XML format instantly with our free online JSON to XML converter. This tool helps developers transform JSON data into XML structure for legacy systems and data interchange. Simply paste your JSON and get XML output in real-time.

Root Element:

Input JSON

0 characters

XML Output

About JSON to XML Conversion

Convert JSON to XML format. XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is commonly used in enterprise systems and web services. You can customize the root element name to match your requirements.

About JSON to XML Converter

JSON to XML conversion transforms JSON data into XML format for systems that require XML input, SOAP services, or XML-based configurations. This enables modern JSON applications to communicate with legacy systems and XML-based APIs.

How It Works

The converter maps JSON structures to XML elements: objects become parent elements with child elements for each property, arrays become repeated elements, and primitives become text content. A root element wraps the entire structure since XML requires a single root.

Technical Details

Conversion challenges: JSON has no attribute concept (use conventions like @attr), arrays need element names (use parent name or "item"), null handling (empty element, xsi:nil, or omit), and root element naming. Output can include XML declaration, namespaces, and formatting.

Common Use Cases

SOAP Service Calls

Generate XML request bodies from JSON data.

Convert form data to SOAP envelope

Legacy System Integration

Send data to XML-only backend systems.

Configuration Generation

Generate XML config files from JSON templates.

Document Generation

Create XML documents (RSS, Atom, SVG) from JSON.

Code Examples

Node.js with xml2js

javascript

const xml2js = require('xml2js');

const json = {
  user: {
    $: { id: '123' },  // attributes
    name: 'John Doe',
    email: 'john@example.com'
  }
};

const builder = new xml2js.Builder({
  rootName: 'root',
  headless: false  // include XML declaration
});

const xml = builder.buildObject(json);

xml2js Builder converts objects to XML. $ is used for attributes by default.

Python with dicttoxml

python

from dicttoxml import dicttoxml
from xml.dom.minidom import parseString

data = {
    'user': {
        'name': 'John Doe',
        'email': 'john@example.com',
        'roles': ['admin', 'user']
    }
}

xml_bytes = dicttoxml(data, custom_root='root', attr_type=False)
# Pretty print
pretty = parseString(xml_bytes).toprettyxml()

dicttoxml handles nested structures and arrays. attr_type=False removes type attributes.

Tips & Best Practices

Define clear conventions for attributes vs elements
Always specify a meaningful root element name
Test output against target XML schema or XSD
Use pretty printing for human-readable config files
Handle null values consistently based on requirements

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting XML requires a single root element
Not handling arrays with proper element names
Producing invalid XML from special characters
Ignoring namespace requirements of target system

When to Use This Tool

Use JSON to XML when sending data to SOAP services, generating XML configurations, creating RSS/Atom feeds, or integrating with any system requiring XML format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use a convention like @attributeName in your JSON. Most converters recognize this: {"element": {"@id": "123", "#text": "content"}} becomes <element id="123">content</element>.

const xml2js = require('xml2js'); const json = { user: { $: { id: '123' }, // attributes name: 'John Doe', email: 'john@example.com' } }; const builder = new xml2js.Builder({ rootName: 'root', headless: false // include XML declaration }); const xml = builder.buildObject(json);

from dicttoxml import dicttoxml from xml.dom.minidom import parseString data = { 'user': { 'name': 'John Doe', 'email': 'john@example.com', 'roles': ['admin', 'user'] } } xml_bytes = dicttoxml(data, custom_root='root', attr_type=False) # Pretty print pretty = parseString(xml_bytes).toprettyxml()