CSV to XML Converter

Tool Overview

This tool converts CSV data into XML. You paste CSV text or upload a CSV or TXT file. The tool reads the first row as headers and each following row as a record. You set a root element name and an item element name, and you map each CSV column to an XML tag either as a child element or as an attribute. The tool then builds XML and lets you copy it or download it as a file. So you go from table-style data to structured XML.

CSV is common for spreadsheets and exports. XML is common for configs, feeds, and APIs. You may have data in CSV and need it in XML for another system. Doing it by hand is slow and easy to get wrong. This tool parses the CSV, uses the first row as column names, and turns each row into an XML item. You can choose the root and item tag names and whether each column becomes an element or an attribute. So you can match the XML shape your system expects.

The tool is for developers and anyone who needs to move data from CSV to XML. You do not need to be an expert. You provide the CSV, adjust the schema and mapping if needed, and copy or download the XML. An optional Suggest button may fill in root name, item name, and mappings from your headers and a sample of rows; that feature can fail and you can always set everything by hand.

Background & Concept Explanation

CSV is text with rows and columns. The first row is often the header: the names of the columns. Each later row is one record. Values are separated by a delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe). This tool parses the CSV and treats the first row as headers. It then turns each data row into one XML item. A root element wraps all items. Each item has either child elements (one per column) or attributes (one per column), or a mix: you choose per column whether it is an element or an attribute. A related operation involves converting CSV to JSON as part of a similar workflow.

XML tag names must follow rules. They cannot start with a number. They should not contain spaces or special characters. This tool converts header names and your custom names into valid XML names: spaces become underscores, invalid characters are removed, a leading number gets an underscore prefix, and the name is limited in length. So the output uses safe tag names even if your CSV headers have spaces or symbols.

Values in XML must escape special characters. The tool escapes ampersand, less than, greater than, double quote, and single quote so the output is valid XML. Empty or missing CSV cells become empty strings in the XML. So the output is well-formed and safe to use.

People struggle when they convert by hand. They miss rows or columns. They use wrong tag names or forget to escape. This tool parses the CSV once, builds the XML from your mapping, and lets you copy or download. You can enable or disable columns and switch between element and attribute per column. So you control the structure and get valid XML. For adjacent tasks, converting JSON to XML addresses a complementary step.

Key Features

• You provide CSV in two ways. You can paste text into a text area (placeholder: Or paste CSV content here...). Or you can upload a file by clicking the upload area. The tool accepts CSV and TXT files up to 10 MB. The content (pasted or from file) must be 5 MB or smaller. So you can use small or medium-sized data.
• The tool parses the CSV with the first row as headers. It guesses the delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe). It trims spaces in headers and values and skips empty lines. If parsing fails you see an error (for example CSV parsing error or No headers found in CSV). If there are no data rows you see No valid data found in CSV. So you know when the input is invalid.
• The tool limits how much data it uses. It allows up to 100,000 rows. If your CSV has more rows only the first 100,000 are converted and you see a message that only the first 100,000 rows will be processed. It allows up to 1000 columns. If you have more columns you see an error. So the tool stays responsive.
• After the CSV is parsed you see a Schema section. You can set the Root Element name (default root) and the Item Element name (default item). The tool converts what you type into a valid XML name (spaces to underscores, invalid characters removed, length limited). So the root and item tags match XML rules.
• A Column Mapping table lists each CSV header. For each column you see the header name and an editable XML tag name (default is the header slugified). You can check or uncheck a box to include or exclude that column in the XML. You can choose Element or Attribute: element means a child tag with the value inside; attribute means a name="value" on the item tag. So you control which columns appear and whether they are elements or attributes.
• The XML preview updates as you change the schema or mapping. You see the full XML in a code-style box. A Copy button copies the XML to the clipboard. A Download button saves it as a file named with the root name and a timestamp (for example root-1234567890.xml). So you can use the result in another app or system.
• An optional Suggest button appears when you have parsed data. When you click it the tool sends your headers and the first five rows to a remote service. The service may return suggested root name, item name, and column mappings. The tool then fills in the schema and mapping with those values. If the request fails the tool does nothing and you can set everything by hand. So you can try to get a starting schema when the service is available.
• A Reset button (in the mapping section) or Clear (when in input phase) clears the CSV, the data, and the config so you can start over. So you can load a new file or paste new content.

Common Use Cases

You have a CSV export from a spreadsheet. You upload the file or paste the content. The tool parses it and shows the default mapping (each column as an element with a slugified header name). You check the preview. You change the root name to match your schema (for example catalog) and the item name (for example product). You click Download to save the XML file.

You need some columns as attributes and some as elements. You open the Column Mapping table. For each column you choose Element or Attribute from the dropdown. Attributes appear on the item tag; elements appear as child tags. You click Copy and paste the XML into your config or API payload.

Your CSV has headers with spaces or special characters. The tool slugifies them so the XML tag names are valid. You can edit any tag name in the mapping; the tool slugifies your input. So the output always has safe tag names. When working with related formats, converting JSON to CSV can be a useful part of the process.

You want a quick starting point for the schema. You click Suggest. If the service responds the root name, item name, and mappings are filled in. You adjust any mapping (enable or disable columns, change element to attribute) and then copy or download.

You have a very large CSV. You paste or upload it. If it has more than 100,000 rows the tool shows a message and converts only the first 100,000 rows. You download or copy that XML. For more rows you would need to split the CSV or use another tool.

How to Use This Tool

1. Open the CSV to XML Converter in your browser.
2. Provide your CSV. Paste CSV text into the text area or click the upload area and choose a CSV or TXT file (up to 10 MB). The content must be 5 MB or smaller. The first row must be the column headers.
3. Wait for the tool to parse. It guesses the delimiter and trims values. If you see an error fix the CSV (check headers, delimiters, quotes) or choose a smaller file. When parsing succeeds you see the Schema and Column Mapping sections and the XML preview.
4. Set the root and item names in the Schema section. Type the names you want; the tool converts them to valid XML names (e.g. spaces to underscores). Defaults are root and item.
5. In the Column Mapping table check or uncheck each column to include or exclude it. Edit the XML tag name if you want a different name. For each column choose Element (child tag) or Attribute (attribute on the item tag). The preview updates as you change.
6. Optionally click Suggest to request suggested root name, item name, and mappings from the remote service. If it works the form is filled in; you can still edit. If it fails set the schema and mapping by hand.
7. Click Copy to copy the XML to the clipboard or Download to save it as an XML file. Use Reset to clear everything and load new CSV.

Calculations & Logic

The tool parses CSV with the first row as headers. It uses a parser that accepts comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe as delimiter and trims headers and cell values. Empty lines are skipped. Each data row becomes an object: keys are the headers, values are the cell strings. Only enabled mappings with a non-empty CSV header are used. For each row the tool builds one item element. For each mapping with type attribute it adds an attribute to the item tag; the attribute name is the sanitized XML tag name and the value is the cell value with XML special characters escaped. For each mapping with type element it adds a child element; the tag name is sanitized and the content is the escaped cell value. In some workflows, converting XML to JSON is a relevant follow-up operation.

Tag names are sanitized: invalid characters (other than letters, digits, underscore, hyphen, colon, dot) are replaced by underscore; a leading digit gets an underscore prefix; the result is truncated to a maximum length. So every tag name in the output is valid in XML. Values are escaped: ampersand to &, less than to <, greater than to >, double quote to ", single quote to '. So the output is well-formed XML.

The XML declaration is . The root element wraps all item elements. Each item can have attributes and child elements in the order given by the mapping list. So the structure is consistent and predictable.

Reference Tables or Scales

Accepted file types: .csv, .txt, or text/csv. First row is used as headers. Tag names are derived from headers or your input and sanitized (spaces to underscores, invalid chars removed, length limited). For related processing needs, converting JSON to YAML handles a complementary task.

Tips, Limitations & Best Practices

Ensure your CSV has a header row. The tool uses the first row as column names. If the first row is data you will get wrong or generic names. Use a delimiter the tool can guess (comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe). If parsing fails check for mixed delimiters or broken quotes.

Keep the input under 5 MB and the file under 10 MB. If you have more than 100,000 rows only the first 100,000 are converted and you see a message. For very large data split the file or use a script. The tool allows up to 1000 columns; more columns trigger an error.

Use Element for values that may be long or contain line breaks. Use Attribute for short, simple values if you want a compact item tag. You can mix: some columns as attributes, some as elements. Disable columns you do not need in the XML to keep the output small.

Edit the XML tag names if your system expects specific names. The tool slugifies what you type so you get valid names. Avoid leaving a column enabled with an empty tag name; the tool falls back to a default but the result may not match your schema.

Suggest is optional and can fail. If it fails the tool does not show an error; you just keep the current or default mapping. You can always set root name, item name, and each column mapping by hand. Copy and Download work whenever the preview shows XML.

Reset clears all input and config. If you upload a new file after that the tool parses it and builds new default mappings from the new headers. Download uses the current root name in the file name; change the root name before downloading if you want a different file name.