The 5 Best Free XML Editors

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The 5 Best Free XML Editors

By Ayesha Sajid June 18, 2019 4 minutes read

Extensible Markup Language or XML is a language which is used to define the rules for the format in which the documents are encoded. That format is readable by both humans as well as machines. However, the XML files appear to be a bit too complex which make people think that once such files are created, they cannot be easily edited or modified. But this is just not true. XML files can conveniently be edited just like any other type of file. Today, we are going to share with you a list of The 5 Best Free XML Editors so that you can immediately get one of them without spending any money. Let us go through this list quickly.

1. Notepad++


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Notepad++ is a free text editor that comes with a plugin for editing the XML files. The Color Coding feature of this software is used to differentiate the code and the content of an XML file. You can also launch Notepad++ with the help of the Command Line Arguments very conveniently. Just like any other good text editor, you can easily Highlight, Copy or Paste text within your XML file by making use of this software. It also allows you to work on multiple XML files simultaneously.

This software has a very friendly user interface which is fully customizable. You can improve the readability of your XML files with the Line Number mentioned at the beginning of every line of your XML files. Notepad++ also enables you to define Macros consisting of bulk actions that can be applied on multiple XML files altogether. The XML Syntax Check feature of this software lets you analyze and correct the syntax of your XML files. This software has a layout which is known as the Pretty Print layout that makes your XML file to appear in a proper structure in order to make it look more organized.

2. Code Browser


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Code Browser is a free XML editor designed for the Windows and Linux operating systems. It is a very easy to use XML editor, that allows you to edit multiple XML files simultaneously. The Code Folding feature of this software enables you to hide multiple lines of code under one main headline in order to stop your screen from getting overloaded. There is also a Built-in Links feature which is used to create links within XML files that point to some other section within the same file. This enhances the navigability of your XML files.

If you want to group certain XML files according to the content that they contain or on any other basis, then you can easily make use of the Project Support feature of Code Browser and then keep all your desired files in one single folder. The best thing about this XML editor is that it provides support for Custom Tools which can help you in taking certain customized actions such as launching another application through Code Browser. This feature makes this software highly usable.

3. Microsoft XML Notepad


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Microsoft XML Notepad is a free XML editor designed by Microsoft for the Windows operating system. It has a very simple and friendly user interface which is perfect for experienced as well as for naive users. The Tree View feature of this software allows you to break down your XML file into classes, tags, and key values in order to make them look more readable. You can also drag and drop your nodes within a tree or in any other XML file which is opened in XML Notepad. The fonts and colors of your XML files are fully customizable.

XML Notepad provides an infinite number of undo and redo actions which is a very helpful feature, especially for the beginners. The Incremental Search feature of this XML editor enables you to search within a tree and text views very conveniently. The XML Schema Parser of XML Notepad highlights all the errors present in your XML file and also lets you correct them. You can easily edit the names and values within your XML files by making use of the Synchronized Tree View and Node View of this software. Moreover, XML Notepad also has an unmatchable Speed which is best for loading and editing large sized files.

4. XmlPad


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XmlPad is a free XML editor for the Windows and Mac operating systems. This software offers us three different types of views for our XML files i.e. Grid, Table and Preview which provide improved functionality. You can also open your XML files through their URLs with the help of this software. The Color Syntax Highlighting feature of this software allows you to highlight the text of your XML files. You can also enable Line Numbers for every line within your XML file for enhanced readability.

The Auto Formatting and Auto Parsing feature of XmlPad easily find the errors within your XML files and enable you to correct them. Once you have edited your XML files, you can also preview them for any further modifications with the help of the Preview and the Built-in Browser Window. Moreover, XmlPad also lets you print your XML Schema in Graphical Diagram Window.

5. TextEdit


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TextEdit is yet another free text editor that allows you to edit XML files as well along with some other file formats. This software allows you to open and edit multiple XML files at once. You can use the Syntax Highlighting feature of TextEdit for making the content within your XML files look more prominent. You can even Bookmark your XML files for future reference. TextEdit supports very large file sizes so that you can conveniently edit your XML files without any size limitations.

You can also add Line Numbers to your XML files for better visibility. You can Find and Replace within an XML file. TextEdit allows an unlimited number of Undo and Redo actions so that you can conveniently use it even if you are using it for the very first time. Moreover, you can also use the Drag and Drop feature of this software in order to drag and drop your XML files within a project.