XML Formatter

What is XML Formatting?

XML formatting organizes XML (eXtensible Markup Language) code with consistent indentation, proper line breaks, and readable structure. Formatted XML is easier to read, edit, and maintain than minified or poorly formatted XML.

Why Format XML?

XML formatting improves code quality and developer experience:

• Readability: Makes XML code easier to read and understand
• Debugging: Easier to identify errors and structure issues
• Maintenance: Simplifies editing and updating XML files
• Code Review: Formatted XML is easier to review and collaborate on
• Standards: Consistent formatting follows best practices

Common Use Cases

Configuration Files

Format XML configuration files for applications, servers, and services. Well-formatted config files are easier to maintain and troubleshoot.

API Responses

Format XML API responses for debugging and development. Makes it easier to understand API data structures and identify issues.

Data Exchange

Format XML documents used for data exchange between systems. Proper formatting ensures data integrity and makes validation easier.

Documentation

Format XML examples in documentation to make them more readable and understandable for developers.

Legacy Code Cleanup

Reformat poorly formatted or minified XML files to improve maintainability and readability.

XML Formatting Features

Our formatter provides:

• Flexible Indentation: Customize indentation (spaces or tabs) to match your style
• Minification Option: Also supports minifying XML for production use
• Whitespace Cleanup: Removes unnecessary whitespace while preserving structure
• Real-time Formatting: See formatted output instantly as you type
• Validation: Identifies XML syntax errors during formatting

XML Formatting Best Practices

• Consistent Indentation: Use 2 or 4 spaces consistently throughout files
• Validate First: Ensure XML is valid before formatting
• Preserve Comments: Keep important comments in XML files
• Namespace Handling: Properly handle XML namespaces during formatting
• Production: Consider minifying XML for production to reduce file size

XML vs Other Formats

• XML vs JSON: XML is more verbose but supports comments and attributes
• XML vs YAML: XML is stricter, YAML is more human-readable
• XML vs HTML: XML is stricter and more structured than HTML

Privacy and Security

Our XML Formatter processes all XML data entirely in your browser. No XML content is sent to our servers, ensuring complete privacy for sensitive configuration files and data.

Related Tools

If you need to work with XML in other ways, check out:

• XML to JSON: Convert XML to JSON format
• JSON Formatter: Format and validate JSON data
• YAML Formatter: Format YAML configuration files