C++ to XML Converter
Paste C++ structs or classes. Get clean XML back.
What this tool does
Unlike C# or Java, C++ has no built-in XML serializer. If you need an XML payload that matches a struct or class, you either hand-write the XML, wire up pugixml, pull in Xerces-C++, or build it with Expat — and all of that is a lot of typing before you can even run a test. Paste your C++ here and the tool gives you the XML in one pass, with every field in the right place.
It reads the code the way a human reads it. A struct Order { std::string orderId; std::vector<OrderItem> items; }; with a C++20 designated initializer becomes <Order><orderId/><items><OrderItem/>...</items></Order>, with nested structs expanded inline. std::string values are escaped correctly (the usual &, <, >, ", '), numeric types keep their literal form, and bool comes out as true / false so the output parses cleanly against any schema a standards-compliant XML reader expects.
Containers follow the shape you would hand-write. std::vector<T>, std::array, and plain C arrays become a parent element with one child per item, named after the element type. std::map and std::unordered_map emit <Entry><Key/><Value/></Entry> pairs. std::optional values that hold nullopt become empty elements instead of disappearing — so the schema stays consistent round-trip. Paste a constructor call, a designated-initializer literal, or just the type definitions; the tool handles all three.
How to use it
Three steps. Works whether you paste a single struct or a whole header plus a sample instance.
Paste your C++ (or try the sample)
Drop any C++ into the left editor — a struct definition, a class with methods, a designated initializer, or a constructor call. You can include #include headers, comments, and using directives; they will not confuse the parser.
Prefer a clean struct with a sample instance? Click Load Sample for a realistic Order with nested OrderItem and Address, using the C++20 designated-initializer syntax.
Hit Convert
Click the green Convert button. The tool walks the types, expands the nested structs, and writes the XML. A short loading indicator runs while it works — usually less than a second or two.
Copy the XML
The right panel fills with well-formed, indented XML. Copy it straight into a SOAP request, an app.xml config file, a std::ifstream fixture for a unit test, or a pugixml load_string test — it is valid, escaped, and ready to use.
When this actually comes in handy
Prototyping SOAP / web-service payloads
You have a C++ request struct for a legacy SOAP endpoint and need a realistic XML body to drop into SoapUI or curl. Paste the struct, grab the XML, move on.
Seeding pugixml / Xerces test fixtures
Unit tests for your XML loader need a variety of well-formed documents. Writing them by hand is tedious; generating them from real structs keeps the fixtures in sync with the types they exercise.
Building config templates from code
A game engine, CAD tool, or simulation that reads settings from XML usually has a Settings struct on the C++ side. Paste it, get a ready-to-edit XML template for the release build — no hand-crafted boilerplate.
Bridging to legacy XML systems
Financial, healthcare, and defense stacks still speak XML. When a new C++ service has to emit an XML message for an old consumer, this tool shows you what the shape should look like before you wire up the real serializer.
Common questions
Can I paste a whole header file with multiple structs?
Yes. Paste the full header — every struct or class comes through, nested types expand inline, and inherited public members from base classes are rolled in. The parser is forgiving about comments, preprocessor directives, and forward declarations.
Does it understand C++20 designated initializers?
Yes. Order order{ .orderId = "ORD-4821", .items = { ... } }; is parsed field-by-field, so the XML preserves the names you wrote. Older-style aggregate initialization (positional Order{ "ORD-4821", ... }) also works when the struct definition is in the same paste, so the tool can match positions to field names. See cppreference aggregate initialization.
How does it handle std::vector, std::map, and std::optional?
std::vector<T>, std::array, and plain C arrays become a container element with one child per item, named after the element type. std::map / std::unordered_map emit <Entry><Key/><Value/></Entry> pairs. std::optional with nullopt becomes an empty element rather than being dropped, so the element stays present in the schema.
Why not just use pugixml or libxml2?
Those are great for runtime serialization, but writing the first fixture — or a config template, or a docs example — still means typing out the XML tree by hand. This tool saves that first round of typing. You can always pipe the output into pugixml, Xerces-C++, or RapidXML afterwards.
Is my code stored?
Your code is sent to the backend for conversion and is not persisted — we do not log the payload. If the code is genuinely sensitive (proprietary game engine internals, trading models, etc.), look it over before pasting, same as you would with any online tool.
What if the C++ has templates, pointers, or smart pointers?
Concrete template instantiations like std::vector<int> work out of the box. Unresolved template parameters (template<typename T> without a concrete T) are emitted as empty elements — pick a concrete type if you need real data. Raw pointers and std::unique_ptr/std::shared_ptr are followed to the pointee; a null pointer becomes an empty element rather than failing the whole conversion.
Other tools you may need
C++ to XML is one piece of the puzzle. These tools pair well with it: