What XML features does this formatter support?

The formatter handles elements with attributes, namespaces, self-closing tags, CDATA sections, comments, processing instructions (like ), and mixed content. It preserves CDATA content verbatim and maintains attribute order.

Does this validate my XML?

It checks for well-formedness — matching open/close tags, proper nesting, and valid syntax. It does not validate against an XSD or DTD schema. If your XML has structural errors, the formatter will report the issue.

Is this tool free to use?

Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser with no account required. Your data never leaves your device.

Can I use this for SOAP or SVG files?

Yes. SOAP envelopes and SVG images are both valid XML. The formatter handles namespaced elements and attributes correctly, making it suitable for debugging web service payloads or cleaning up SVG markup.

Does this work on mobile?

Yes. The tool is fully responsive and works on any device with a modern browser. You can paste XML from other apps, format it, and copy the result.

XML Formatter

Format, prettify, or minify XML in your browser.

Indent:

XML Input

About This Tool

Paste raw or minified XML and get properly indented, readable output. Supports prettifying collapsed XML, minifying verbose files, and validating well-formedness. Handles namespaces, CDATA sections, comments, processing instructions, and self-closing tags. Useful for API debugging, SOAP payloads, SVG files, and configuration editing. Runs entirely in your browser with no external dependencies.

What you provide

An XML string to format or minify

What you get

Formatted or minified XML output

How to Use

Paste your XML into the input area.
Choose Prettify for readable output or Minify for compact output.
Click the button and copy the formatted result.

XML in the Modern Web

Despite predictions of its decline, XML remains deeply embedded in enterprise and platform ecosystems. SOAP web services (still dominant in finance, healthcare, and government integrations) use XML exclusively. RSS and Atom feeds that power podcast directories, news aggregators, and content syndication are XML formats. SVG images — scalable vector graphics used in every modern web UI framework — are XML documents. Android application manifests, Maven build files, and Microsoft Office documents (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX) are all ZIP archives containing XML files.

The W3C's XML ecosystem includes related standards that remain widely deployed: XSLT for document transformation, XPath for node selection, XQuery for XML databases, and XML Schema (XSD) for strict schema validation. These tools provide a level of formal specification and tooling that JSON's informal ecosystem still lacks.

For developers, XML's verbosity and strict syntax are features when data integrity and schema enforcement matter more than conciseness. A malformed XML document fails immediately and loudly — there is no ambiguity about what constitutes valid XML, unlike YAML's complex parsing rules.

XML vs JSON vs YAML

Feature	XML	JSON	YAML
Schema validation	XSD, DTD, RelaxNG (mature tooling)	JSON Schema (draft standard)	No standard schema language
Comments	<!-- supported -->	Not supported	# supported
Namespaces	First-class (xmlns:)	Not supported	Not supported
Attributes	Yes (key="value" on elements)	No (keys and values only)	No (keys and values only)
Verbosity	High (open/close tags)	Medium (quoted keys)	Low (indentation-based)
Tooling maturity	Excellent (30+ years)	Excellent (20+ years)	Good (15+ years)

XML Validation Tips

Well-formed vs valid: well-formed means syntactically correct XML; valid means it also conforms to a specific XSD or DTD schema. This formatter checks well-formedness only.
Every opening tag must have a matching closing tag with identical case — XML is case-sensitive, so <Item> and </item> are a mismatch.
The five predefined XML entities must be used for reserved characters: & for &, < for <, > for >, ' for ', and " for ".
Namespace prefixes must be declared before use with xmlns:prefix="uri" — undeclared prefixes cause parse failures.
The XML declaration <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> is optional in XML 1.0 but recommended; if present, it must be the very first line.
Avoid encoding conflicts: if the file is saved as UTF-8, the encoding declaration must say UTF-8 — a mismatch causes parsers to reject or misread the document.

Frequently Asked Questions

What XML features does this formatter support?: The formatter handles elements with attributes, namespaces, self-closing tags, CDATA sections, comments, processing instructions (like <?xml?>), and mixed content. It preserves CDATA content verbatim and maintains attribute order.
Does this validate my XML?: It checks for well-formedness — matching open/close tags, proper nesting, and valid syntax. It does not validate against an XSD or DTD schema. If your XML has structural errors, the formatter will report the issue.
Is this tool free to use?: Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser with no account required. Your data never leaves your device.
Can I use this for SOAP or SVG files?: Yes. SOAP envelopes and SVG images are both valid XML. The formatter handles namespaced elements and attributes correctly, making it suitable for debugging web service payloads or cleaning up SVG markup.
Does this work on mobile?: Yes. The tool is fully responsive and works on any device with a modern browser. You can paste XML from other apps, format it, and copy the result.