Why XML-to-JSON Conversion Is Still a Headache (and How to Get It Right)

When you work with APIs, legacy systems, or third-party integrations, you'll eventually run into XML — and then immediately wish it was JSON.

Converting XML to JSON seems like it should be easy. But it’s not.

Why It’s Not Just xml -> json_encode()

Here’s the problem: XML is not just a tree of data — it has attributes, text nodes, CDATA sections, namespaces, and mixed content.

<user id="123">
  <name>Ayesh</name>
  <status active="true">active</status>
</user>

Try converting that with a basic parser and you’ll likely get something broken like:

{
  "user": {
    "name": "Ayesh",
    "status": "active"
  }
}

Where did the attributes go? What about preserving structure?

The Real Problems with XML → JSON

1. Attributes aren't first-class citizens in JSON
2. Mixed content (text + child nodes) is hard to model in JSON
3. PHP’s SimpleXML often drops important parts during conversion
4. Recursion needed for deep nesting — and many online tools fail here
5. If you’re consuming an XML-based API, your job gets frustrating very fast

Common Use Cases Where This Matters

• 🛰️ Legacy SOAP APIs returning XML
• 🧾 Government or financial data feeds
• 🔄 Converting sitemap.xml to structured arrays
• 🧪 Integrating with enterprise systems

What a Good Conversion Tool Should Do

• Preserve attributes (with a _attributes or @ convention)
• Handle CDATA and text nodes explicitly
• Offer consistent structure even for single-child elements
• Not assume every XML node is a flat key-value pair

Try Converting Real-World XML

To test a proper XML → JSON parser (no ads, no junk), you can try this one:

👉 XML to JSON Converter

It gives you a clean JSON object with attributes preserved — and handles nested data gracefully.

Final Tip

If you’re building systems that ingest XML feeds, never trust quick online tools blindly. Always verify:

• Are attributes being preserved?
• Is data consistent with real-world payloads?
• Can it handle deeply nested or inconsistent input?

Happy parsing 👨‍💻