Xml2Json: XML to JSON Conversion Made Easy

Xml2Json is a versatile package that enables the seamless conversion of XML data into JSON, catering to various JSON conventions. It utilizes the xml parser to parse XML data into a parse tree, which is then transformed into JSON based on specific transformation rules.

JSON Output Conventions

Xml2Json offers four JSON output conventions:

1. Parker: Lean and lossy, suitable for lightweight parsing of collections where attributes and namespaces are not crucial.

2. Badgerfish: Preserves XML attributes and namespaces, ideal for heavyweight parsing where detailed information is needed.

3. GData: Similar to Badgerfish but uses $t instead of $ for values and drops the @ symbol for attributes.

4. OpenRally: Also preserves XML attributes and namespaces, but uses a (key/value) format for values.

Transformation Rules

Parker

• Element names become object properties, and text content goes into the $ property.
• Nested elements become nested properties.
• Consecutive elements with the same name are grouped under that name, allowing easy extraction.

Badgerfish

• Element names become object properties.
• Text content goes into the $ property.
• Attributes go in properties starting with @.
• Multiple attributes become array elements.
• Namespaces are placed in the @xmlns property.

GData

• Similar to Badgerfish but uses $t instead of $ for values and drops the @ symbol for attributes.

OpenRally

• Similar to Badgerfish but uses a (key/value) format for values.

Global Rules

• All JSON output is in string format.
• XML comments and CDATA sections are ignored for Parker, while CDATA sections are converted to __cdata properties for Badgerfish and GData.

Usage Example

import 'package:xml2json/xml2json.dart';

void main() {
  // XML input
  String xml = '''
    
      1
      2
      three
    
  ''';

  // Create an instance of the Xml2Json class
  Xml2Json xml2Json = Xml2Json();

  // Transform the XML into JSON using the Parker convention
  String json = xml2Json.transform(xml);

  // Print the JSON output
  print(json);
  // Output: {"item":["1","2","three"]}
}

Conclusion

Xml2Json provides a convenient and customizable solution for converting XML data into JSON. Its powerful transformation engine supports various JSON conventions, making it a valuable tool for data exchange and integration scenarios.