XML Formatter
Format and validate XML documents with automatic indentation.
What XML is used for
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup format used to structure data hierarchically, with opening and closing tags similar to HTML. It is widely used in system integrations (SOAP, legacy config files, and data feeds), precisely because it is readable by both machines and humans when well formatted.
Minified or machine-generated XML often comes without indentation, making it hard to read the element hierarchy. Formatting adds line breaks and consistent indentation for each nesting level, making it easier to check the structure of parent and child tags.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between "well-formed" and "valid" XML?
Well-formed means the syntax follows basic XML rules (properly closed tags, a single root element). Valid means that, in addition to being well-formed, the document follows a specific structure definition (DTD or XSD). This formatter checks whether the XML is well-formed.
Is XML still used or was it replaced by JSON?
JSON has become the dominant standard in modern web APIs for being lighter, but XML remains widely used in legacy systems, enterprise integrations, and standards like SOAP.
Is my XML sent to any server when formatting?
No. Processing happens entirely in the browser, without sending content to external servers.