XML Parser
Parse and validate XML, then format it — with clear error messages. It runs entirely on your device — nothing is uploaded.
Example
Paste XML to parse and validate it. Valid documents are formatted; invalid ones show the parser error.
How it works
The parser uses the browser's native XML engine; valid input is formatted, invalid input reports the error.
Good to know
This XML Parser takes raw XML you paste in, runs it through your browser's built-in XML engine, and tells you whether the document is well-formed. If it parses cleanly, the tool returns a neatly indented version; if it doesn't, it surfaces the parser's error so you can find and fix the problem. It's aimed at developers, integrators, and anyone wrangling config files, RSS/Atom feeds, SOAP payloads, SVG, or API responses who needs a quick sanity check without installing anything.
Refor it when an API response is being rejected, a feed won't render, a build step fails on a config file, or you simply received an XML blob and want to confirm it's structurally sound before working with it. Because parsing happens locally, it's also a safe choice for proprietary or sensitive payloads that shouldn't be pasted into a remote service.
Reading the result is straightforward: a formatted, indented output means the XML is well-formed and ready to use. An error message usually points to the first place the parser gave up — look for the common culprits and work outward from there:
- Unclosed or mismatched tags, and a missing single root element
- Stray special characters such as a bare &, <, or > that need escaping
- Unquoted attribute values, duplicate attributes, or a misplaced/duplicated XML declaration
One important caveat: well-formed is not the same as valid. This tool confirms the syntax is correct, but it does not check your XML against a DTD or XSD schema, so it won't flag a document that parses fine yet violates a required structure. Browser parsers can also be terse or report only the first error, so fix issues one at a time and re-run. For schema-level checks, reach for a dedicated XML Validator instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No — everything runs in your browser. Your code never leaves your device, so it's safe for private work and runs offline once loaded.
Is this tool free?
Yes, completely free with no sign-up and no limits.
People also ask
What does it mean when XML is well-formed?
Well-formed XML follows the basic syntax rules of the XML specification: it has a single root element, every tag is properly closed and nested, attribute values are quoted, and special characters are escaped. Being well-formed means it can be parsed, but it does not mean it conforms to any particular schema.
What is the difference between parsing and validating XML?
Parsing checks that the XML is well-formed (correct syntax and structure), while validating checks that the content matches a defined schema such as a DTD or XSD, including allowed elements, order, and data types. This tool parses; schema validation requires a validator that you supply a schema to.
Why does my XML show an error when it looks correct?
Common hidden causes include unescaped ampersands or angle brackets in text, mismatched or unclosed tags, more than one root element, an invisible byte-order mark or whitespace before the XML declaration, or smart quotes copied from a document. The parser typically reports the first failure, so fixing it may reveal further issues.
Can an XML file have more than one root element?
No. A well-formed XML document must have exactly one root element that contains all other elements. If you have multiple top-level elements, you need to wrap them in a single enclosing element.
How do I escape special characters in XML?
Replace reserved characters with entities: & becomes &, < becomes <, > becomes >, " becomes ", and ' becomes '. Alternatively, wrap raw text containing these characters in a CDATA section so the parser treats it as literal data.
Is it safe to parse confidential XML in an online tool?
With a client-side tool like this one, the XML is processed entirely in your browser and is not uploaded to a server, which makes it suitable for sensitive data. Always confirm a tool runs locally before pasting confidential content, since many online parsers send data to a backend.
Does XML parsing care about whitespace and indentation?
Whitespace between elements is generally insignificant for parsing, so indentation does not affect whether a document is well-formed. However, whitespace inside text content is preserved, and the leading characters before the XML declaration must be empty for the document to parse.
What kinds of files use XML?
XML underpins many formats, including RSS and Atom feeds, SVG graphics, SOAP web service messages, Office Open XML documents (.docx, .xlsx), Android layouts, Maven and Spring configuration files, and countless API payloads and sitemaps.
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