XML Formatter & Beautifier
About XML Formatter
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language used for storing and transporting data. This XML Formatter helps you format and beautify messy or minified XML by adding proper indentation and line breaks, making it easier to read and debug. The tool validates XML syntax and provides clear error messages for invalid XML. All processing happens in your browser for complete privacy.
How to Use
- Paste or type your XML into the input field.
- The tool will automatically format and validate your XML after a brief pause.
- Click "Format" to manually trigger formatting with your chosen indentation.
- Adjust the indent size (2, 4, or 8 spaces) to match your preferences.
- Click "Copy" to copy the formatted output to your clipboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is XML?
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language that defines rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. It is widely used for data exchange, configuration files, and document storage. Unlike HTML, XML allows you to define your own custom tags.
How does the XML formatter work?
The formatter first validates your XML using the browser's DOMParser to ensure it's well-formed. Then it parses the XML structure and rebuilds it with proper indentation and line breaks. Elements are indented based on their nesting level. The tool also trims and normalizes whitespace inside text content (e.g., " Alicia Park " becomes "Alicia Park"), and intelligently handles attributes, CDATA sections, and comments.
What is XML formatting?
XML formatting adds indentation, line breaks, and whitespace to make XML human-readable and easier to debug. It organizes elements based on their nesting level, making the document structure clear and maintainable.
Does this tool validate XML?
Yes! The tool validates XML syntax before formatting. If your XML is invalid (unclosed tags, improper nesting, etc.), you'll see a detailed error message. However, it only checks well-formedness, not schema validation.
Can it handle XML with namespaces?
Yes, the formatter properly handles XML namespaces. Elements with namespace prefixes (like <ns:element>) and namespace declarations (xmlns) are preserved and formatted correctly.
What about XML declarations and processing instructions?
The formatter preserves XML declarations (<?xml version="1.0"?>) and processing instructions. These are included in the formatted output and maintain their syntax.
How are CDATA sections and comments handled?
CDATA sections (<![CDATA[...]]>) and comments (<!-- ... -->) are preserved in the output. They are properly indented based on their position in the XML structure.
Is my data secure?
Yes! All XML parsing, formatting, and minification happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your XML data is never sent to any server, ensuring complete privacy. The tool works offline once loaded.