CSV to XML

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Convert CSV files to XML format with basic row-to-element structure. Headers become element names, rows become repeating XML elements.

How to Convert CSV to XML

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Upload CSV file with header row

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Headers map to XML element names

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Download XML output

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Use in systems requiring XML format

Systems that require XML instead of CSV

  • Legacy enterprise software (SAP, Oracle ERP pre-2010 versions)
  • SOAP web services requiring XML payloads
  • Government data submission portals (tax, regulatory filings)
  • Healthcare systems using HL7 or similar XML standards
  • Publishing workflows (InDesign, FrameMaker XML imports)
  • Configuration management systems using XML format
  • Financial data feeds (XBRL, FpML)
  • Academic/research data repositories requiring XML metadata

CSV to XML limitations

  • No nested structures—flat row-based output only
  • No XML attributes—values become element content
  • No namespaces or schema validation
  • Headers must be valid XML element names
  • No control over root element name (always <root>)
  • Empty cells create empty elements, not omitted elements
  • No data type hints—all values as text

Prepare CSV for valid XML output

  1. Headers: Use alphanumeric only. Remove spaces, symbols. product_name not Product Name (%).
  2. Element names: Can't start with numbers. _123item not 123item.
  3. Reserved words: Avoid 'xml' prefix (reserved). Use data_xml not xml_data.
  4. Case sensitivity: XML is case-sensitive. Be consistent: ProductID not productid, product_id.
  5. Empty values: Decide if empty cells should create <element></element> or be omitted (requires post-processing).

When to use XML vs CSV

XML: Required by legacy enterprise systems
CSV: Modern APIs prefer JSON/CSV over XML
XML: Supports complex nested data structures
CSV: Flat tables only, no hierarchy
XML: Schema validation (XSD) ensures data quality
CSV: No built-in validation
XML: Verbose—5-10x larger than equivalent CSV
CSV: Compact, faster to parse and transmit

Post-processing XML output for specific formats

Basic converter output rarely matches target system requirements exactly. Common adjustments: rename root element (find/replace <root> with <Records>), add namespace declarations (xmlns attributes), convert elements to attributes (requires XSLT), restructure flat data into hierarchical (group related rows), add metadata elements (creation date, version), validate against XSD schema and fix errors. Use XML editors (Oxygen, XMLSpy) or command-line tools (xmlstarlet, saxon) for transformations.

Alternative tools for complex CSV to XML needs

For advanced transformations: use XSLT processors with CSV input modules, Python xml.etree with csv reader for custom mapping, Apache Camel routes with dataformat conversions, or online tools like Code Beautify with template options. For schema-driven XML: validate requirements first, create mapping specification, then use ETL tools (Pentaho, Talend) with visual mappers. One-time conversions: Excel Power Query can load CSV and export custom XML via M code.

Key Features

Header to Element Mapping

CSV column headers become XML element names. Values populate element content.

Repeating Row Structure

Each CSV row generates one XML <row> element containing child elements for each column.

Basic XML Output

Produces simple well-formed XML. No namespaces, attributes, or complex hierarchies.

Privacy & Security

Client-side processing via xml-js and PapaParse. Files stay in browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

What XML structure does this create?

Basic format: <root><row><header1>value</header1><header2>value</header2></row></root>. Each CSV row becomes <row> element with child elements from headers.

Can I customize element names?

No. Headers become element names directly. To customize: edit CSV headers before converting, or post-process XML with find/replace or XSLT.

What if headers have spaces or special characters?

Invalid XML characters are stripped. 'First Name' becomes 'FirstName', symbols removed. Use valid identifiers in CSV headers for predictable output.

Does this support XML attributes?

No. All values become element content, not attributes. For attribute-based XML, manually edit output or use XSLT transformation.

Can I add namespaces or schema references?

No. Output is basic XML without namespaces, schemas, or DOCTYPE declarations. Add these manually or use XML editor post-processing.