Tech Comparisons
JSON vs XML
Two of the most popular data interchange formats used in web development today. Which one should you choose for your next project?
| Feature | JSON | XML |
|---|---|---|
| Readability | JSON is lightweight and easy for humans to read and write. | XML is more verbose with opening and closing tags, making it harder to read. |
| Parsing Speed | Faster to parse because it maps directly to objects. | Slower parsing due to complex DOM traversal. |
| Data Types | Supports strings, numbers, arrays, booleans, and objects. | Everything is treated as a text node unless defined by a schema. |
| Metadata | No built-in support for metadata (attributes). | Extensive support for attributes and namespaces. |
| Security | Generally safer but can be vulnerable to injection if eval() is used. | Vulnerable to XXE (XML External Entity) attacks if not configured correctly. |
JSON Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Native JavaScript support
- Easy to parse
- Ideal for REST APIs
Cons
- No comments support
- Limited data types
- Verbose for binary data
XML Pros & Cons
Pros
- Supports metadata via attributes
- Schema validation (XSD)
- Namespace support
- Standard for SOAP APIs
Cons
- Heavy and verbose
- Complex parsing logic
- Higher bandwidth usage
Verdict
For most modern web applications, APIs, and configuration files, JSON is the clear winner due to its simplicity and speed. XML remains useful for complex enterprise systems, document markup, and legacy SOAP services where strict validation is required.