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Convert XML to CSV Online Convert XML documents to CSV format by extracting child element values.

XML to CSV illustration
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XML to CSV

Convert XML documents to CSV format by extracting child element values.

1

Paste XML data

Paste your XML document with repeating child elements.

2

Review the output

The tool extracts child element values into CSV columns.

3

Copy the result

Copy the CSV output or download it as a file.

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What Is XML to CSV?

XML to CSV converts structured XML documents into flat, tabular CSV format. The converter treats the root element's direct children as rows and their child elements as columns. This is ideal for XML data that follows a tabular pattern — each repeating element represents a record with consistent sub-elements. The tool uses the browser's built-in DOMParser for reliable XML parsing and extracts text content from each element. Column headers are derived from the XML tag names, and the output follows standard CSV formatting with proper escaping for values containing commas or quotes.

Why Use XML to CSV?

  • Uses the browser's native XML parser for reliable, standards-compliant parsing.
  • Automatically discovers all unique column names across all rows.
  • Proper CSV escaping for special characters in output.
  • Handles XML documents with inconsistent element structures.

Common Use Cases

Data Analysis

Convert XML data exports into CSV for analysis in Excel or Google Sheets.

Legacy System Migration

Extract data from XML-based legacy systems into CSV for import into modern databases.

API Response Processing

Convert SOAP/XML API responses into tabular format for reporting.

Log Processing

Transform XML-formatted logs into CSV for easier filtering and analysis.

Technical Guide

The converter uses the browser's built-in DOMParser to parse the XML input, which provides strict XML validation and proper namespace handling. If the XML is malformed, the parser returns an error document which the tool detects and reports to the user.

The conversion process works in two passes: first, it iterates over all direct children of the root element to discover all unique tag names, building the complete set of column headers. Second, it iterates again to extract text content from each child element, mapping tag names to column positions.

This approach handles XML where different row elements have different sets of child elements — missing elements result in empty CSV cells. The text content extraction uses the textContent property, which concatenates all nested text nodes.

CSV output values are escaped following RFC 4180: fields containing commas, double quotes, or newlines are wrapped in double quotes, with internal quotes doubled.

Tips & Best Practices

  • 1
    The XML should have a consistent structure: a root element containing repeating row elements.
  • 2
    Only text content from leaf elements is extracted — attributes are not included.
  • 3
    Nested XML with multiple levels will only extract the deepest text content.
  • 4
    Validate your XML before conversion — malformed XML will produce an error message.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q What XML structure does it expect?
A root element containing repeating child elements. Each child element represents a row, and its sub-elements become columns.
Q Does it handle XML attributes?
Currently, only element text content is extracted. Attributes are not included in the CSV output.
Q What about XML namespaces?
The browser's DOMParser handles namespaces, but column names will include namespace prefixes if present.
Q Can it handle large XML files?
Processing depends on browser memory. Most XML files up to several MB work well.
Q What if elements have different child structures?
The tool collects all unique element names and uses empty values for missing elements in each row.

About This Tool

XML to CSV is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.