How to use XML to JSON
- 1
Open the XML to JSON converter
Go to tools.slaytic.com and open the XML to JSON tool. No sign-up or account required.
- 2
Paste or drop your XML
Add a well-formed XML document. It is parsed locally with nothing uploaded.
- 3
Review the structure
Check how attributes and repeated elements were mapped before relying on the shape.
- 4
Copy or download the JSON
Take the result into your code, API request or data pipeline.
How this works in your browser
The document is parsed using the browser’s own XML parser, the same one it uses for web documents, so well-formedness is validated properly rather than approximated by pattern matching. The resulting tree is then walked and mapped into JSON: element content becomes values, attributes are gathered under a dedicated key so they are not confused with child elements, and repeated sibling tags are collected into arrays. Two limits are inherent rather than incidental. XML carries no type information, so every value arrives as text. And array-ness is inferred from how many siblings happen to be present, which means a list with a single entry produces a different shape than the same list with two, a distinction only a schema could resolve.
XML to JSON vs. traditional online converters
| Feature | XML to JSON (in-browser) | Traditional online converters |
|---|---|---|
| File upload required | No - never leaves your device | Yes - file is sent to a server |
| Processing queue | None - starts instantly | Often, especially at peak times |
| Watermark on output | Never | Common on free plans |
| Usage limits | None - free, unlimited use | Often capped per day or file size |
| Works offline once loaded | Yes, for most tools | No - requires a live connection |
| Account required | No | Often, for anything beyond a trial |
Who uses XML to JSON
Modernising legacy data
Bring XML from an older system into the format current code and APIs work with.
Working with RSS and feeds
Convert a feed or sitemap into JSON you can process in JavaScript.
Inspecting an XML response
Turn a verbose API response into something readable while debugging.
Data migration projects
Move stored XML records into a JSON-based database or service.
Frequently asked questions
How are XML attributes handled?
Attributes are included in the output JSON under an "@attributes" key alongside the element’s content.
What happens to repeated elements?
Repeated sibling elements with the same tag name become a JSON array.
Is the resulting JSON valid for any API?
The output is standard, valid JSON. Whether its specific shape matches what a particular API expects depends on that API’s requirements.
Why are my numbers coming out as strings?
Because XML has no types. Everything between tags is text, so a conversion has no way to know whether 42 was meant as a number, a string, or a product code where the leading zeros mattered. Guessing would corrupt identifiers, so values are carried across faithfully as text and left for you to cast deliberately.
Why does an element sometimes become an array and sometimes not?
Because the shape is inferred from the document rather than from a schema. Two sibling elements with the same tag become an array; a single one becomes a plain value. If a list happens to contain exactly one item that day, the output shape changes, which is a genuine trap when the JSON feeds code expecting a consistent structure.
What happens to namespaces and comments?
Comments are dropped, since JSON has no equivalent. Namespace prefixes generally survive as part of the key name, which is valid JSON but rarely what you want, so expect to clean those up if the source uses them heavily.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. The XML is parsed and the JSON generated inside your browser tab.