Text to XML Converter

Convert list of items or structured text into valid XML format

0Lines

Root Element

Item Element

Include Header Indent XML Wrap in CDATA

From a plain list to a well-formed XML document

When you have a column of names, IDs, URLs or phrases and a system that wants XML, typing tags by hand is slow and error-prone. This tool takes a list with one item per line and wraps each one in an element of your choice, inside a root element, so the result is ready to paste into a feed, a test file or a config.

Building the XML

Type or paste your entries into Input Items (One per line), or press Sample for four names. Paste pulls from the clipboard and Clear resets the box. A Lines counter in the header keeps track of how many lines you have.
Set the Root Element (default items) and the Item Element (default item).
Choose from three checkboxes: Include Header adds the XML declaration, Indent XML puts each item on its own indented line, and Wrap in CDATA encloses each line in a CDATA section.
Press Generate XML Output, then use Copy or the .xml button to download the file.

A summary line beneath the result states how many lines were converted.

Escaping versus CDATA

By default each line is escaped, so ampersands, angle brackets and quotes become entities such as & and <. That is the safe choice for most data. Switch on CDATA when your lines contain markup, code snippets or many special characters that you want to keep readable; each line is then wrapped as raw character data instead. Avoid CDATA if a line might contain the sequence that closes a CDATA block, because that would end the section early.

Where it fits

Creating a simple sitemap-style or keyword list feed from a plain text column.
Making test data for an XML parser or an XSLT experiment.
Packing a list of SKUs or usernames into a payload for an import tool.
Teaching or demonstrating basic XML structure using quick examples.

Points to keep in mind

Each line is trimmed and blank lines are dropped, so you cannot use empty entries. Root and item names are inserted exactly as typed and are not checked, so avoid spaces and starting with a digit, or the document will not be valid XML. If a name field is left empty, the defaults are used. The tool produces a flat list only; it cannot create nested elements or attributes from your text. For that you would need a CSV or JSON to XML converter.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wrap in CDATA do?

It places each line inside a CDATA section instead of escaping special characters. This keeps text such as HTML snippets or formulas readable in the XML. Do not use it if any line contains the closing CDATA sequence, since that would end the section early.

Are special characters escaped automatically?

Yes, when CDATA is off. Ampersand, less-than, greater-than, single and double quotes are converted to their XML entities, so a line like Tom & Jerry becomes valid content. Root and item names are not escaped or validated.

Can I remove the XML declaration line?

Yes. Untick Include Header before generating and the output starts directly with the root element. Leave it ticked if the receiving system expects the standard declaration with UTF-8 encoding. You can also disable indentation for a single-line result.

What happens to blank lines and extra spaces?

Each line is trimmed of leading and trailing spaces, and lines that are empty after trimming are skipped. The Lines counter in the header counts raw lines, though, so it may show a larger number than the items produced. The Lines counter reflects what you typed, not what was output.

Can it create nested elements or attributes?

No. It produces one root with a flat list of identically named items. For records with several fields per row, use the CSV to XML or JSON to XML converters, which can create child elements or attributes.