Format XML Online - Best XML Formatter

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's widely used for data storage, configuration files, and data exchange between systems.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<bookstore>
  <book id="1">
    <title>JavaScript: The Good Parts</title>
    <author>Douglas Crockford</author>
    <price>29.99</price>
    <category>Programming</category>
  </book>
  <book id="2">
    <title>Clean Code</title>
    <author>Robert C. Martin</author>
    <price>39.99</price>
    <category>Software Engineering</category>
  </book>
</bookstore>

Why Format XML?

Properly formatted XML improves readability, makes debugging easier, and follows best practices for maintainable code. Our formatter helps you:

• Improve Readability: Consistent indentation and line breaks make XML easier to read
• Debug Issues: Proper formatting helps identify syntax errors and structural problems
• Team Collaboration: Consistent formatting ensures all team members can easily understand the code
• Code Reviews: Well-formatted XML makes code reviews more efficient and effective
• Documentation: Clean XML is essential for API documentation and examples

XML Best Practices

Follow these guidelines for clean, maintainable XML:

• Use consistent indentation - 2 or 4 spaces for better readability
• Always include XML declaration - Specify version and encoding
• Use meaningful element names - Choose descriptive names for your elements
• Validate your XML - Always check for syntax errors before using
• Use attributes appropriately - Attributes for metadata, elements for data
• Keep it simple - Avoid overly complex nested structures when possible

Common XML Errors

Here are the most frequent XML formatting mistakes and how to fix them:

<book>
  <title>JavaScript
  <author>Douglas Crockford</author>
</book>

<book>
  <title>JavaScript</title>
  <author>Douglas Crockford</book>
</author>

<book>
  <title>JavaScript & XML</title>
  <author>Douglas Crockford</author>
</book>