.xml files

Common questions

How do I open a .xml file?

On Windows use Any web browser; on macOS use Any web browser; on Linux use Any web browser. A tag-based text format for structured data, still everywhere in enterprise systems.

What is a .xml file?

Extensible Markup Language. XML is a W3C standard from 1998 for describing data with nested tags. It underpins RSS feeds, Office documents, Android layouts and countless business data exchanges, though JSON has replaced it for most new web APIs.

Can I convert a .xml file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .json, .csv, .xlsx, .html or .txt, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

Related pages

• .csv — Comma-Separated Values A spreadsheet as plain text, one row per line — the universal data exchange form
• .json — JavaScript Object Notation The standard text format for structured data on the web and in config files.
• .yaml — YAML Data File An indentation-based configuration format, readable but unforgiving about whites
• .log — Log File A plain-text record of what a program did, newest events usually at the bottom.
• .torrent — BitTorrent Metainfo File A few kilobytes of metadata describing what to download and from whom — not the
• .dat — Generic Data File A meaningless extension — .dat says only that some program stored data here.
• .vcf — vCard Contact File One or more contacts as plain text — the standard way to move an address book.
• .sql — SQL Script A text file of database commands — often a full database dump.
• .ics — iCalendar Event A calendar invitation or event feed in a plain-text standard format.
• .sqlite — SQLite Database A complete relational database in a single file — the most deployed database in
• .db — Generic Database File An extension many programs use for their data — it does not identify one format.
• .bin — Binary File Raw binary data — most often a disc image paired with a .cue, or device firmware