Formatted XML will appear here...
Format XML documents with proper indentation and line breaks for better readability. Handles self-closing tags and nested elements.
What is XML Formatter?
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a widely-used format for structured data interchange, configuration files, and document markup. It powers everything from SOAP API responses and RSS feeds to Maven build files and SVG graphics. When XML is generated programmatically or transmitted over networks, it often arrives as a single compressed line with no indentation — making it nearly impossible to trace element nesting, locate specific attributes, or debug structural errors. An XML formatter restores readability by adding line breaks between elements, indenting child elements relative to their parents, and normalizing whitespace between tags. This transformation is essential when editing configuration files like pom.xml or web.config, debugging XML API responses, reviewing SVG markup, or maintaining any document where the parent-child hierarchy matters. The formatter correctly handles self-closing tags, preserves text content within elements, and maintains the XML prolog at the document start.
How to Use
- Paste XML content (minified or unformatted)
- Select indentation preference (2 or 4 spaces)
- Click 'Format XML' to beautify structure
- Copy formatted output for editing or debugging
Why Use This Tool?
Tips & Best Practices
- 2 spaces common for XML; 4 for visibility
- Check for missing closing tags after format
- Attributes stay on opening tag lines
- Self-closing tags (<tag/>) formatted properly
- Format API responses to debug structure
- XML prolog preserved at document start
Frequently Asked Questions
What XML is supported?
Standard XML documents with nested elements, attributes, and self-closing tags. Handles XML prolog, namespaces, and CDATA sections (preserved verbatim). Works for configs, SOAP responses, RSS feeds, and generic XML data.
How are attributes formatted?
Attributes stay on the opening tag line. Multiple attributes remain inline. Attribute spacing is normalized. For long attribute lists, consider manual line breaks - this formatter keeps attributes compact.
What about self-closing tags?
Self-closing tags (<element/> or <element />) are detected and formatted without creating separate closing tags. Indentation matches their nesting level. Common for empty elements like <br/> or config flags.
Can formatting break XML?
No - formatting only adds whitespace for readability. Element names, attributes, content, and structure remain identical. The XML document parses exactly the same before and after formatting.
What if XML is malformed?
The formatter requires valid XML structure. Missing closing tags or invalid syntax cause errors. Fix XML errors before formatting. Use XML validators to identify structural problems first.
Should I format XML in production?
Format XML for debugging, editing configs, and code review. For production APIs, minified XML is fine (smaller size). Keep formatted version in source control, deploy minified to production systems.
Is my XML data kept private?
Yes. Formatting runs entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your XML content is never sent to any server, never stored, and never logged. The tool works offline once loaded.
When should I NOT use this formatter?
Avoid using this for XML documents with mixed content models (where text and elements are interleaved, like XHTML with inline markup), as the formatter may reposition whitespace in ways that affect rendering. Also skip it for very large XML files (multiple megabytes) where browser memory may be insufficient, or for XML with CDATA sections containing formatted code that should not be altered.
Real-world Examples
Formatting a minified API response for debugging
When a SOAP or REST API returns compressed XML, format it to inspect the structure and find specific elements in the response.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><response><status>success</status><data><user><id>42</id><name>Jane Doe</name><email>[email protected]</email></user></data></response>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
<status>success</status>
<data>
<user>
<id>42</id>
<name>Jane Doe</name>
<email>[email protected]</email>
</user>
</data>
</response>Organizing a Maven pom.xml configuration
Maven build files can grow complex with many dependencies. Proper indentation makes it easy to find and modify specific sections.
<project><groupId>com.example</groupId><artifactId>my-app</artifactId><version>1.0.0</version><dependencies><dependency><groupId>org.springframework</groupId><artifactId>spring-core</artifactId><version>6.1.0</version></dependency></dependencies></project>
<project>
<groupId>com.example</groupId>
<artifactId>my-app</artifactId>
<version>1.0.0</version>
<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
<version>6.1.0</version>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
</project>