---
title: XML
description: Documentation for the XML node in n8n, a workflow automation platform. Includes guidance on usage, and links to examples.
contentType: [integration, reference]
priority: medium
---

# XML

Use the XML node to convert data from and to XML.

```{note} Binary files
If your XML is within a binary file, use the [Extract from File](/08-0-0-Workflow/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.extractfromfile.md) node to convert it to text first.
```

## Node parameters

- **Mode**: The format the data should be converted from and to.
	- **JSON to XML**: Converts data from JSON to XML.
    - **XML to JSON**: Converts data from XML to JSON.
- **Property Name**: Enter the name of the property which contains the data to convert.

## Node options

These options are available regardless of the **Mode** you select:

- **Attribute Key**: Enter the prefix used to access the attributes. Default is `$`.
- **Character Key**: Enter the prefix used to access the character content. Default is `_`.

All other options depend on the selected **Mode**.

### JSON to XML options

These options only appear if you select **JSON to XML** as the **Mode**:

- **Allow Surrogate Chars**: Set whether to allow using characters from the Unicode surrogate blocks (turned on) or not (turned off).
- **Cdata**: Set whether to wrap text nodes in `<![CDATA[ ... ]]>` instead of escaping when it's required (turned on) or not (turned off).
    * Turning this option on doesn't add `<![CDATA[ ... ]]>` if it's not required.
- **Headless**: Set whether to omit the XML header (turned on) or include it (turned off).
- **Root Name**: Enter the root element name to use.

### XML to JSON options

These options only appear if you select **XML to JSON** as the **Mode**:

- **Explicit Array**: Set whether to put child nodes in an array (turned on) or create an array only if there's more than one child node (turned off).
- **Explicit Root**: Set whether to get the root node in the resulting object (turned on) or not (turned off).
- **Ignore Attributes**: Set whether to ignore all XML attributes and only create text nodes (turned on) or not (turned off).
- **Merge Attributes**: Set whether to merge attributes and child elements as properties of the parent (turned on) or key attributes off a child attribute object (turned off). This option is ignored if **Ignore Attribute** is turned on.
- **Normalize**: Set whether to trim whitespaces inside the text nodes (turned on) or not to trim them (turned off).
- **Normalize Tags**: Set whether to normalize all tag names to lowercase (turned on) or keep tag names as-is (turned off).
- **Trim**: Set whether to trim the whitespace at the beginning and end of text nodes (turned on) or to leave the whitespace as-is (turned off).

## Templates and examples
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