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XML Formatter — Pretty-Print & Validate XML Online

XML Formatter re-indents XML markup for readability, collapsing empty elements and applying consistent 2-space indentation. Both well-formed XML and HTML are supported.

XML Structure and Indentation

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) represents data as a tree of nested elements. Unlike JSON, it supports attributes on elements, mixed content (text and child elements in the same node), and namespace declarations. A well-formed XML document must have exactly one root element, all tags must be properly closed or self-closed, attribute values must be quoted, and special characters in text content must be escaped as entities (&, <, >, ", ').

Minified XML collapses all whitespace, producing a single long line that is unreadable. Formatted XML applies consistent indentation — typically 2 spaces per nesting level — so the tree structure is immediately visible. The formatter does not add or remove any data; it only adjusts whitespace in inter-element positions (whitespace inside text nodes is preserved exactly).

Common XML Formats You Will Encounter

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) wraps XML request and response bodies in an Envelope/Body structure. SOAP APIs were the dominant web service style before REST, and many enterprise systems still use them. When debugging a SOAP integration, paste the raw XML body into this formatter to make the structure readable.

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is XML describing vector graphics. Design tools like Figma and Illustrator export SVG; developers often need to paste SVG into HTML or React. Formatting the SVG first makes it easier to remove unnecessary attributes, add accessibility labels, or optimize the path data.

Maven pom.xml and Spring application.xml are Java project configuration formats. They use deeply nested XML with attributes, namespaces, and sometimes hundreds of lines. The formatter collapses redundant whitespace and shows the dependency/plugin structure clearly.

Common Use Cases

  • Formatting SOAP API request/response bodies
  • Beautifying SVG markup
  • Indenting configuration files in XML format (Maven, Spring, etc.)
  • Cleaning up XML exported from databases or legacy systems

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I format XML online?

Paste your XML into SmartDevBox. The XML Formatter detects it automatically (XML starts with < or <?xml) and applies consistent indentation.

Privacy & Security

This tool runs entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. No data is sent to a server — your input never leaves your machine. SmartDevBox has no account system, no usage tracking, and no paid tier. See the Privacy & Security page for full details.

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