Convert XML to JSON Online Free
Transform XML documents into structured JSON objects. Elements become properties, attributes are preserved, and nested structures are fully mapped. Ideal for modernizing legacy data.
By ChangeThisFile Team · Last updated: March 2026
ChangeThisFile converts your XML data to JSON format directly in your browser using the built-in DOMParser. Elements become objects, attributes become properties, and the full tree structure is preserved. Your data stays completely private on your device with no upload needed. Free, instant, no signup.
Convert XML to JSON
Drop your XML file here to convert it instantly
Drag & drop your .xml file here, or click to browse
Convert to JSON instantly
XML vs JSON: Format Comparison
Key differences between the two formats
| Feature | XML | JSON |
|---|---|---|
| Syntax | Verbose tags with opening/closing pairs | Concise braces and brackets |
| Attributes | Supported on elements | No native equivalent (mapped to properties) |
| Namespaces | Full namespace support | No namespace concept |
| Schema validation | XSD, DTD, Relax NG | JSON Schema |
| Comments | Supported with <!-- --> | Not supported |
| File size | Significantly larger | 30-50% smaller for same data |
| Parsing | DOM/SAX parsers required | Native browser support with JSON.parse() |
When to Convert
Common scenarios where this conversion is useful
Modernizing legacy APIs
Convert SOAP/XML API responses to JSON for use in modern REST-based applications and JavaScript frontends.
Processing RSS and Atom feeds
RSS and Atom feeds are XML-based. Convert them to JSON for easier processing in web applications and mobile apps.
Parsing configuration files
Many enterprise systems use XML configuration (Maven pom.xml, Spring configs, .NET web.config). Convert to JSON for programmatic processing.
Data migration
Migrate data from XML-based systems to JSON-based NoSQL databases like MongoDB, CouchDB, or Elasticsearch.
Who Uses This Conversion
Tailored guidance for different workflows
Developers
- Convert XML config files to JSON for compatibility with different tools or frameworks
- Transform XML API responses to JSON for debugging, logging, or documentation
Data Analysts
- Convert XML exports to JSON for importing into spreadsheet software, databases, or BI tools
- Transform XML datasets to JSON for sharing with teammates who use different analysis tools
System Administrators
- Convert XML configuration to JSON when migrating between infrastructure tools or platforms
- Transform XML log exports to JSON for ingesting into monitoring or analysis systems
How to Convert XML to JSON
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1
Upload your XML file
Drag and drop your .xml file onto the converter, or click to browse. Any well-formed XML document is accepted.
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2
Automatic conversion
Your XML is parsed and mapped to a JSON object tree. Elements become keys, text content becomes values, and repeated elements become arrays.
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3
Download the JSON result
Click Download to save your .json file. The output is pretty-printed with proper indentation for readability.
Frequently Asked Questions
XML attributes are mapped to properties prefixed with '@_' by default. For example, <item id="5"> becomes {"item": {"@_id": "5"}}.
When an element name appears multiple times under the same parent, the values are collected into a JSON array automatically.
Namespace prefixes are included in the property names. For example, <ns:element> becomes the key 'ns:element' in the JSON output.
CDATA content is extracted as plain text. The CDATA wrapping is removed, and the inner content becomes a string value.
No. XML comments are stripped during conversion because JSON does not support comments.
Yes. The parser handles files up to several hundred megabytes depending on your device's memory. The conversion runs entirely in the browser.
In most cases, yes. You can convert the JSON back to XML using the JSON to XML converter. However, some XML-specific features like processing instructions and DOCTYPE declarations are not preserved.
Elements with both text and child elements have the text stored in a '#text' property alongside the child element properties.
The XML declaration (<?xml version="1.0"?>) and DOCTYPE are parsed but not included in the JSON output since they are metadata, not data.
Yes. The entire conversion runs in your browser. No XML data is transmitted to any server.
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