Formateador & Validador XML

Formatee, embellezca, minifique y valide documentos XML. Perfecto para servicios web, archivos de configuración e intercambio de datos.

What is XML?

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language designed to store and transport data in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. Unlike HTML which focuses on displaying data, XML is designed specifically for carrying data with a focus on what the data represents. XML is widely used in web services, configuration files, document formats (like Microsoft Office), RSS feeds, and data exchange between different systems. Our XML formatter helps developers and data professionals format, beautify, validate, and minify XML documents quickly and easily, all while maintaining complete privacy as processing happens entirely in your browser.

How to Use This Free XML Formatter

Using our XML formatter is straightforward: paste your minified or unformatted XML into the input field and click "Format & Beautify" to get properly indented, readable XML with consistent spacing. To reduce file size for production use, click "Minify" to remove all unnecessary whitespace while keeping the XML valid. To check if your XML is well-formed without modifying it, click "Validate Only". The tool displays helpful statistics including file size, line count, and number of XML elements. All processing happens instantly in your browser using the native DOMParser API, ensuring your XML data remains completely private and never reaches our servers.

Common XML Use Cases

  • Web Services & SOAP: Format and validate SOAP XML messages for API development and debugging
  • Configuration Files: Format XML config files for applications, servers, and build tools
  • Data Exchange: Prepare XML for B2B data transfer, EDI, and system integration
  • RSS & Atom Feeds: Format and validate news feeds and podcast feeds
  • SVG Graphics: Format Scalable Vector Graphics XML for web design
  • Android Development: Format layout and resource XML files for Android apps
  • Office Documents: Work with Office Open XML formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)
  • Maven & Gradle: Format build configuration and dependency management files

XML Syntax Rules

Understanding XML syntax is essential for creating valid documents:

  • All XML documents must have a root element that contains all other elements
  • XML tags are case-sensitive: <Name> and <name> are different elements
  • All elements must be properly closed: <tag>content</tag> or <tag />
  • Elements must be properly nested (no overlapping tags)
  • Attribute values must be quoted: <tag attr="value">
  • Special characters must be escaped: < (&lt;), > (&gt;), & (&amp;), " (&quot;), ' (&apos;)
  • Comments use <!-- comment --> syntax
  • Processing instructions use <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> syntax

Why Use Our XML Formatter?

  • 100% Free: No registration, unlimited usage, completely free forever
  • Privacy Protected: All formatting happens in your browser using native DOMParser - your XML never leaves your device
  • Instant Processing: Format, minify, and validate XML instantly without server delays
  • Syntax Validation: Detects and reports XML syntax errors with helpful error messages
  • Statistics Display: View file size, line count, and element count of your XML
  • Large File Support: Handle large XML files that online tools may struggle with
  • Developer-Friendly: Monospace font and proper indentation for easy reading
  • Mobile Compatible: Works perfectly on all devices including smartphones and tablets

XML vs JSON: When to Use Each

Both XML and JSON are data interchange formats, but they serve different purposes. XML is more verbose but offers better support for complex documents, namespaces, schemas (XSD), and transformations (XSLT). It's ideal for document-oriented data, configuration files, and legacy systems. JSON is more concise, easier to parse in JavaScript, and better suited for web APIs and simple data structures. Choose XML when you need document validation, complex hierarchies, or compatibility with existing XML-based systems. Choose JSON for modern web APIs, simpler data structures, and JavaScript-heavy applications.

Common XML Errors and Solutions

Unclosed tags: Every opening tag must have a corresponding closing tag. Self-closing tags must end with /> like <element />

Case mismatch: XML is case-sensitive. <Book> must close with </Book>, not </book>

Invalid characters in names: Element and attribute names cannot start with numbers and can only contain letters, digits, hyphens, underscores, and periods

Unescaped special characters: Characters like <, >, and & must be escaped as &lt;, &gt;, and &amp; when used in text content

Multiple root elements: XML documents can have only one root element that contains all other elements

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between XML and HTML?
While both use tags, XML is designed for data storage and transport with custom tags, while HTML is designed for displaying data with predefined tags. XML is stricter about syntax and requires all tags to be properly closed.

Can I validate XML against a schema?
This tool performs well-formedness checking but doesn't validate against XSD schemas. It ensures your XML has valid syntax but doesn't check if it conforms to a specific schema definition.

Will formatting change my XML data?
No. Formatting only adds or removes whitespace for readability. The data structure, elements, attributes, and content remain identical. You can safely format and minify XML without data loss.

How do I handle namespaces in XML?
Our formatter preserves namespaces correctly. Use xmlns attributes to declare namespaces: <root xmlns:prefix="namespace-uri">

Can I format partial XML fragments?
The tool works best with complete, well-formed XML documents. Fragments without a root element may not format correctly. Consider wrapping fragments in a temporary root element.