XML Parser (`xml`)¶

Converts msg.payload (or any message property) between an XML string / buffer and a structured Go map, and back. Pair with the JSON Parser (json) for format conversion, or use standalone to bridge HTTP APIs, SOAP services, and industrial systems that speak XML.

Inputs	Outputs
1	1

Why a parser node?¶

HTTP responses from legacy APIs, SOAP/WS-* endpoints, and some industrial gateways arrive as XML strings. Today that requires a Function node with custom parsing code. The XML Parser does the same job declaratively — two clicks, no code.

The same node runs in both directions: parse (string → map) and stringify (map → string). One node type covers the full round-trip.

Configuration¶

Field	Default	Description
`property`	`payload`	Dot-path of the message field to convert.
`action`	`auto`	`auto` \| `parse` \| `stringify` — see Action.
`root`	`root`	Root element name used when stringifying. Required when action is `stringify` or `auto` with a non-string input.
`indent`	`0`	Spaces for pretty-print indentation (`0` = compact). Applies to stringify and the stringify branch of auto.
`declaration`	`true`	Prepend `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>` to stringify output.

Action¶

Value	Behaviour
`auto`	Default. `string` / `[]byte` input → parse. Anything else → stringify.
`parse`	Force parse. Error if input is not a string or buffer.
`stringify`	Force stringify. Error if input is already a string or buffer.

auto covers 90 % of flows — the direction is clear from context (HTTP-In / TCP-In → parse; before HTTP-Out → stringify). Switch to parse or stringify when you want a hard error on the wrong input shape.

Map representation¶

The parsed map follows the mxj convention:

XML construct	Map key / value
Element `<name>…</name>`	Key `"name"`, value is the content
Attribute `id="42"`	Key `"-id"`, value `"42"`
Text content of mixed element	Key `"#text"`
Repeated siblings `<x/><x/>`	Slice `[]any` under key `"x"`

All parsed values are strings — XML carries no type information. Use a Change or Function node to cast to numbers or booleans.

Error handling¶

Condition	Status	Routed as
Malformed XML	`red` / `xml parse error`	Catchable error
Wrong input type for action	`red` / `xml type error`	Catchable error
`root` is blank on stringify	`red` / `xml root required`	Catchable error

The status pill is cleared automatically on the next successful message — no manual reset required.

Examples¶

Parse an HTTP XML response¶

[HTTP-In]  →  [XML: action=auto]  →  [Switch: msg.payload.sensor.value > 30]

Input: msg.payload = "<sensor><value>25.4</value></sensor>" Output: msg.payload = { sensor: { value: "25.4" } }

Parse element attributes¶

<sensor id="42" unit="C"><value>25.4</value></sensor>

Parses to:

{
  "sensor": {
    "-id": "42",
    "-unit": "C",
    "value": "25.4"
  }
}

Stringify a map for a SOAP request¶

[Change: msg.payload = {name: "Alice"}]
  →  [XML: action=stringify, root=Person, indent=2]
  →  [HTTP-Out]

Output:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Person>
  <name>Alice</name>
</Person>

Parse a buffer from TCP-In¶

[TCP-In]  →  [XML: action=parse]  →  [Debug]

Input: msg.payload = []byte('<status ok="true"/>') Output: msg.payload = { status: { "-ok": "true" } }

Handle repeated elements¶

<list><item>a</item><item>b</item></list>