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XML Drill

What XML is and why developers still use it.

XML may look outdated compared to JSON, but it is still heavily used in APIs, enterprise systems, Android development, configuration files, and large business software. Understanding XML helps frontend developers debug real-world systems more effectively.

6 min read

What XML actually is

XML stands for Extensible Markup Language.

It is a structured text format designed to store and transport data.

<user>
  <name>Ihor</name>
  <role>Frontend Developer</role>
</user>

XML uses nested tags to describe information hierarchically.

XML vs JSON

Modern frontend developers mostly use JSON, but XML still appears in many systems.

JSON

Smaller, easier to read, popular in modern frontend APIs.

XML

Verbose but powerful for structured enterprise data.

XML supports attributes, namespaces, schemas, and complex document structures that many large systems still depend on.

Where XML is still used

SOAP APIs

Many enterprise APIs still exchange XML payloads.

Android

Android layouts and resources use XML extensively.

Configuration

Many enterprise tools and servers store config in XML.

RSS Feeds

News feeds and syndication commonly use XML.

SVG

SVG graphics are actually XML documents.

Office Files

DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX internally use XML structures.

Why developers dislike XML

XML can become extremely verbose compared to JSON.

<user>
  <name>Ihor</name>
</user>

The equivalent JSON:

{
  "name": "Ihor"
}

XML also becomes difficult to debug when formatting is broken.

Formatting matters

Proper XML formatting dramatically improves readability.

Minified XML

<root><user><name>Ihor</name></user></root>

Formatted XML

<root>
  <user>
    <name>Ihor</name>
  </user>
</root>

This is why XML formatter tools are still useful today.

Common XML mistakes

  • Missing closing tags
  • Broken nesting structure
  • Invalid attributes
  • Incorrect encoding
  • Unreadable minified XML
  • Mixing tabs and spaces badly

XML parsers are usually stricter than JSON parsers.

Frontend developers still encounter XML

Even modern frontend developers occasionally debug XML:

  • Enterprise integrations
  • Payment systems
  • SOAP APIs
  • Legacy backend systems
  • RSS feeds
  • SVG editing

Understanding XML makes debugging much less painful.

Try the tool

Format and minify XML instantly

Use the DevDrills XML Formatter to pretty print XML, clean formatting, and debug XML structures directly in your browser.

Open XML Formatter