Convert XML to PHP Array Online - Free, Local & Instant
Instant XML (.xml) to PHP Array (.php) converter. 100% client-side processing in your browser RAM — zero file uploads, full privacy, drag & drop or paste raw text.
Technical Comparison: XML vs PHP Array
Data & Dev Config| Specification | XML (Source) | PHP Array (Target) |
|---|---|---|
| Full Specification | Extensible Markup Language | PHP Short-Syntax Associative Array Literal |
| File Extension & MIME | .xml (application/xml) | .php (text/plain) |
| Data Typing Model | Element & @attribute nodes with text/CDATA payloads | Associative & indexed arrays with => fat-arrow syntax |
| Structure & Hierarchy | Tree of parent/child elements and attributes | Deeply nested PHP return array config files |
| Comments Support | Supported (<!-- comment -->) | Supported (// and /* */) |
| Primary Ecosystem | Enterprise SOAP feeds, RSS/Atom, Android layouts, Maven POM | Laravel config/*.php, WordPress plugins, Symfony & Composer projects |
XML to PHP Array — Before & After Example
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<users>
<user>
<id>1</id>
<name>Alice Johnson</name>
<email>alice@example.com</email>
<role>admin</role>
<active>true</active>
<score>98.5</score>
<address>
<city>Berlin</city>
<country>DE</country>
</address>
</user>
<user>
<id>2</id>
<name>Bob Smith</name>
<email>bob@example.com</email>
<role>editor</role>
<active>false</active>
<score>87</score>
<address>
<city>Austin</city>
<country>US</country>
</address>
</user>
<user>
<id>3</id>
<name>Chiara Rossi</name>
<email>chiara@example.com</email>
<role>viewer</role>
<active>true</active>
<score>91.25</score>
<address>
<city>Milan</city>
<country>IT</country>
</address>
</user>
</users>
<?php
$data = [
'users' => [
'user' => [
[
'id' => 1,
'name' => 'Alice Johnson',
'email' => 'alice@example.com',
'role' => 'admin',
'active' => true,
'score' => 98.5,
'address' => [
'city' => 'Berlin',
'country' => 'DE',
],
],
[
'id' => 2,
'name' => 'Bob Smith',
'email' => 'bob@example.com',
'role' => 'editor',
'active' => false,
'score' => 87,
'address' => [
'city' => 'Austin',
'country' => 'US',
],
],
[
'id' => 3,
'name' => 'Chiara Rossi',
'email' => 'chiara@example.com',
'role' => 'viewer',
'active' => true,
'score' => 91.25,
'address' => [
'city' => 'Milan',
'country' => 'IT',
],
],
],
],
];
return $data;
Frequently Asked Questions: XML to PHP Array
How do I convert XML to PHP Array online without uploading sensitive files? ▾
Paste your XML data or drag and drop a .xml file into the converter above. ZeroUpload parses XML and serializes PHP Array 100% inside your browser RAM using local JavaScript—no bytes are ever sent to an external server.
How are nested objects or tabular columns mapped between XML and PHP Array? ▾
When converting hierarchical structures (Tree of parent/child elements and attributes) and tabular or config formats (Deeply nested PHP return array config files), our engine automatically flattens or unflattens dot-separated keys (such as address.city) and preserves numbers, booleans, arrays, and null values.
Is this XML to PHP Array converter free for commercial and production config files? ▾
Yes. The tool is completely free, requires no account or API key, and works offline once loaded. Because execution happens in local memory, it is safe for proprietary XML, database exports, and production secrets.
Can I convert PHP Array back to XML? ▾
Yes! Click the "Swap (PHP Array → XML)" button at the top of the workspace or use the reverse converter link at the bottom of this page for bidirectional conversion.