XML Formatter Guide: Pretty-Print and Validate XML
2026-05-24
Quick Answer
Quick Answer: Paste XML into our XML Formatter, click Format for readable indentation or Minify for a compact payload. Validation runs locally in your browser.
Why format XML?
- Read config files — Spring, Maven, and RSS feeds are easier to edit when indented
- Debug SOAP/API responses — spot missing tags quickly
- Compare diffs — formatted XML makes version control diffs meaningful
Format vs minify
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Format | Adds line breaks and indentation (2 or 4 spaces) |
| Minify | Removes extra whitespace between tags |
| Validate | Checks well-formedness before you deploy |
Common XML mistakes
| Error | Fix |
|---|---|
| Unclosed tag | Every <item> needs </item> |
| Mismatched names | Opening and closing tag names must match |
Unescaped & | Use & inside text nodes |
| Multiple roots | Wrap siblings in one root element |
Try It Yourself
Clean up your XML with the free XML Formatter →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is formatted XML valid for production?
Yes—whitespace between tags is insignificant to parsers. Minified XML is common for bandwidth-sensitive APIs.
Does this support namespaces?
Basic well-formed XML is supported. Complex namespace rewriting is out of scope for this MVP tool.
XML vs JSON—which should I use?
JSON is lighter for web APIs; XML remains common in enterprise configs, documents, and legacy integrations.