What is the difference between XML formatting and XML validation?

Formatting makes valid XML easier to read by adding indentation and line breaks. Validation checks whether the XML is well-formed (correct syntax). This tool checks well-formedness — not XSD schema validity.

What does "well-formed XML" mean?

Well-formed XML follows the syntax rules: all tags are properly opened and closed, attributes are quoted, elements are correctly nested, and there is exactly one root element. A well-formed document can be parsed; an invalid one cannot.

What is the root element in XML?

XML requires exactly one root element that wraps all other elements. For example, in an RSS feed the root is ; in a Maven POM the root is . Multiple top-level elements produce a well-formedness error.

Can I use this for RSS or Atom feeds?

Yes. RSS and Atom are XML-based formats. Paste a feed's raw response here to format it for reading or to validate its XML structure.

What is the difference between XML and HTML?

HTML is designed for rendering web pages and is more permissive about syntax. XML is designed for structured data exchange and requires strict well-formedness. XHTML is a stricter version of HTML that follows XML rules.

XML Formatter & Validator — Format, Validate & Minify XML Online

DevTool House

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XML formatter

About XML Formatter & Validator

Format XML for readability, validate XML syntax and well-formedness, or minify XML to compact output — useful for API responses, configuration files, and data exchange formats.

Last reviewed

June 23, 2026

Key Features

Formats XML with configurable indentation
Validates XML and reports parsing errors with position details
Minifies XML for compact payloads
Syntax highlighting for nested elements and attributes
Useful for SOAP responses, RSS feeds, and config files

How to Use XML Formatter & Validator

1Paste an XML document, fragment, or API response.
2Choose format, validate, or minify depending on your goal.
3Review the formatted output or validation error message.
4Copy the processed XML back into your editor or workflow.

SOAP API response debugging example

SOAP APIs return XML responses that can be hard to read in raw form. Paste the response body into the formatter to expand the nested elements, then validate to confirm the XML is well-formed before processing it in code.

How It Works

The tool parses the input as XML, validates it for well-formedness, and serializes valid data with the selected indentation or minified output. Parsing errors are reported with the position of the first invalid character.

Privacy Notes

XML is sent to DevTool House servers to format or validate it and is not stored once the result is returned. Avoid pasting XML that contains sensitive data, authentication tokens, or private records.

Limitations

The formatter checks XML syntax and well-formedness. It does not validate against XSD schemas, DTD definitions, or custom business rule constraints.

Frequently Asked Questions

XML formatter

About XML Formatter & Validator

Format XML for readability, validate XML syntax and well-formedness, or minify XML to compact output — useful for API responses, configuration files, and data exchange formats.

Last reviewed

June 23, 2026

Key Features

Formats XML with configurable indentation
Validates XML and reports parsing errors with position details
Minifies XML for compact payloads
Syntax highlighting for nested elements and attributes
Useful for SOAP responses, RSS feeds, and config files

How to Use XML Formatter & Validator

1Paste an XML document, fragment, or API response.
2Choose format, validate, or minify depending on your goal.
3Review the formatted output or validation error message.
4Copy the processed XML back into your editor or workflow.

SOAP API response debugging example

How It Works

Privacy Notes

XML is sent to DevTool House servers to format or validate it and is not stored once the result is returned. Avoid pasting XML that contains sensitive data, authentication tokens, or private records.

Limitations

The formatter checks XML syntax and well-formedness. It does not validate against XSD schemas, DTD definitions, or custom business rule constraints.

XML Formatter & Validator

About XML Formatter & Validator

Key Features

How to Use XML Formatter & Validator

SOAP API response debugging example

How It Works

Privacy Notes

Limitations

Frequently Asked Questions

1What is the difference between XML formatting and XML validation?

2What does "well-formed XML" mean?

3What is the root element in XML?

4Can I use this for RSS or Atom feeds?

5What is the difference between XML and HTML?

XML Formatter & Validator

About XML Formatter & Validator

Key Features

How to Use XML Formatter & Validator

SOAP API response debugging example

How It Works

Privacy Notes

Limitations

Frequently Asked Questions

1What is the difference between XML formatting and XML validation?

2What does "well-formed XML" mean?

3What is the root element in XML?

4Can I use this for RSS or Atom feeds?

5What is the difference between XML and HTML?