How to Convert XML to JSON Using Python

Converting XML to JSON is a common task in data processing, especially when working with APIs or web services. Python provides simple and efficient ways to achieve this using popular libraries. In this guide, we'll explore the easiest method using the xmltodict module, which is widely used for XML-to-JSON conversion.

Why Convert XML to JSON?

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data format that is easier to read and parse compared to XML. Many modern applications prefer JSON due to its simplicity and compatibility with JavaScript-based systems. Converting XML to JSON helps in:

Simplifying data handling in web applications.
Improving performance in data parsing.
Making data more readable and manageable.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have Python installed on your system. You'll also need to install the xmltodict module, which simplifies XML parsing. Install it using pip:

pip install xmltodict

Step-by-Step Conversion Process

Step 1: Load the XML Data

First, read the XML data from a file or a string. Here’s an example XML string:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<employee>
  <name>Rahul Sharma</name>
  <age>28</age>
  <department>Engineering</department>
</employee>

Step 2: Parse XML to a Python Dictionary

Use xmltodict.parse() to convert the XML into a Python dictionary:

import xmltodict

xml_data = """
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<employee>
  <name>Rahul Sharma</name>
  <age>28</age>
  <department>Engineering</department>
</employee>
"""

parsed_data = xmltodict.parse(xml_data)
print(parsed_data)

This will output a dictionary like:

{
  'employee': {
    'name': 'Rahul Sharma',
    'age': '28',
    'department': 'Engineering'
  }
}

Step 3: Convert the Dictionary to JSON

Now, use Python’s built-in json module to convert the dictionary to JSON:

import json

json_data = json.dumps(parsed_data, indent=4)
print(json_data)

The output will be a formatted JSON string:

{
  "employee": {
    "name": "Rahul Sharma",
    "age": "28",
    "department": "Engineering"
  }
}

Handling XML Files

If your XML data is stored in a file, you can read and convert it as follows:

with open("employee.xml", "r") as xml_file:
  xml_data = xml_file.read()
  parsed_data = xmltodict.parse(xml_data)
  json_data = json.dumps(parsed_data, indent=4)
  print(json_data)

Conclusion

Converting XML to JSON in Python is straightforward using xmltodict and the json module. This method ensures clean and readable JSON output, making it ideal for API integrations and data processing tasks.

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