How is this different from xmllint or VS Code's built-in formatter?

Both work, but each has friction. xmllint is a CLI you must install and remember flags for; VS Code's formatter requires the file to be inside a workspace and an XML extension installed. This tool is a single browser page — paste, click, copy. Same DOMParser engine the browser uses for AJAX, so the validation matches what your runtime will see.

Will my CDATA, comments, namespaces, and processing instructions be preserved?

Yes, all four. The formatter walks the parsed DOM and emits each node type explicitly: elements with their attributes in source order, CDATA sections wrapped in ` `, comments wrapped in ` `, processing instructions wrapped in ` `, and the XML declaration (if present in the input) preserved at the top.

Does this validate against an XSD or DTD schema?

No — only well-formedness (matching tags, quoted attributes, no stray ampersands, etc). Schema validation requires loading external .xsd / .dtd files and is beyond what the browser DOMParser provides. For XSD validation use xmllint with --schema flag locally, or dedicated tools like Oxygen XML Editor.

Is my XML uploaded to a server?

No. Every byte stays in your browser tab. There is no network request, no logging, and no analytics on the content you paste. Open DevTools → Network while using the tool to verify zero requests. You can safely paste SOAP responses, signed XML, or anything containing tokens.

Why does my XML show "no element found" even though it looks fine?

Three common causes. (1) XML must have exactly one root element — two siblings at the top will fail. Wrap them in a parent element. (2) An invisible BOM (byte-order mark) or whitespace before the `<?xml` declaration. Strip leading bytes. (3) HTML entities like ` ` are not defined in raw XML — use ` ` or declare them in a DTD.

XML Formatter & Validator — Pretty Print, Minify, Lint

Pretty-print, minify, and validate XML in your browser — preserves CDATA, comments, and namespaces.

Runs locally
Category Format Converter
Best for Turning pasted content or local files into a handoff-friendly format.

Indent:

Input

Output

Formatted output appears here.

What this tool does

Free online XML formatter and validator. Paste raw XML and get clean, indented output (2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs). One-click minify strips whitespace for transport. The browser's native DOMParser reports any syntax error with the exact line and column so you can fix invalid XML in place. CDATA sections, comments, processing instructions, and namespace declarations are preserved exactly — attributes keep their source order. 100% client-side: SOAP responses, config files, RSS feeds, and Spring/Maven XML never leave the tab.

Tool details

Input: Files + Text + Numbers; The page exposes text boxes, numeric controls, file pickers, or structured inputs depending on the tool.
Output: Live result + Copy + Download; The result area focuses on usable output, with copy, download, or preview actions when supported.
Privacy: Browser-side processing; The main tool logic does not call an external API, so inputs normally stay in the current tab.
Save / share: No account required; Open the page and use it; whether results survive refresh depends on the tool.
Performance budget: Initial JS <= 25 KB; No WASM budget is declared, keeping the tool quick to open on mobile.
Best fit: Format Converter · Developer; Category and role tags drive related tools, internal links, and quick fit checks.

How to use

1. Input

Paste or drop your content into the tool panel.
2. Process

Click the button. All processing is local in your browser.
3. Copy / Download

Copy the result or download to disk in one click.

How XML Formatter & Validator fits into your work

Use it when the main problem is getting content from one practical format into another.

Conversion jobs

Turning pasted content or local files into a handoff-friendly format.
Previewing a conversion before you use it in a larger workflow.
Cleaning small format mismatches without opening a full editor.

Conversion checks

Try a small sample first when the source format is messy.
Check character encoding, separators, and line endings after conversion.
Keep the source until the converted output has been reviewed.

Good next steps

These links move the current task into a more complete workflow.

FAQ

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XML Formatter & Validator — Pretty Print, Minify, Lint

What this tool does

Tool details

How to use

1. Input

2. Process

3. Copy / Download

How XML Formatter & Validator fits into your work

Conversion jobs

Conversion checks

Good next steps

FAQ

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