Migrating from XML to JSON: A Complete Conversion Guide

XML dominated data exchange for decades, but modern APIs overwhelmingly prefer JSON. If you're modernizing a SOAP service, parsing RSS feeds, or integrating with legacy systems, you'll need reliable XML to JSON conversion. The transformation isn't always straightforward — attributes, namespaces, and mixed content require careful handling.

What Is XML to JSON?

XML to JSON conversion maps XML elements to JSON objects, attributes to special keys, and text nodes to string values. Our XML to JSON converter preserves the document structure while producing clean, usable JSON output.

How to Use XML to JSON on DevToolHub

1. Open the XML to JSON tool on DevToolHub — no signup required.
2. Paste or enter your input data in the left panel.
3. See the result instantly in the output panel.
4. Copy the result or download it as a file.

Converting a SOAP Response

Legacy SOAP APIs return XML. Here's how it maps to JSON:

<!-- XML -->
<response status="ok">
  <user id="1">
    <name>Alice</name>
    <email>alice@example.com</email>
  </user>
</response>

// JSON equivalent
{
  "response": {
    "@status": "ok",
    "user": {
      "@id": "1",
      "name": "Alice",
      "email": "alice@example.com"
    }
  }
}

Attributes are prefixed with @ to distinguish them from child elements.

Pro Tips

• Decide on an attribute convention early — @attr and _attr are both common
• Handle arrays carefully — a single child element converts to an object, but multiple siblings should become an array
• Strip namespaces if your consumer doesn't need them — they clutter the JSON
• Validate the JSON output against your API schema after conversion

When You Need This

• Modernizing SOAP web services to REST/JSON APIs
• Parsing RSS and Atom feeds for content aggregation
• Converting XML configuration files to JSON format
• Integrating with government and enterprise systems that still use XML