XML Parser, Stringifier, and DOM

Common errors

• TypeError: xml.parse is not a function

  cause Attempting to call `parse` on an undefined `xml` object, often due to incorrect `require` path or environment issues, or trying to use ES Modules `import` syntax.
  fix Ensure `const xml = require('xml-parse');` is correctly placed and the module is accessible. Verify you are not using ES Module `import` syntax.

• TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'tagName')

  cause Attempting to access properties like `tagName` directly on the result of `xml.parse()` without realizing it returns an array (e.g., `parsedXML.tagName` instead of `parsedXML[0]?.tagName`).
  fix Access elements from the parsed array, such as `parsedXML[0]` for the first root element, or iterate through the array to process multiple roots.

Warnings

• breaking The package is abandoned. It was last published over 6 years ago (version 0.4.0) and is not maintained. Consider using actively maintained alternatives like `fast-xml-parser` or `@rgrove/parse-xml` for modern projects.
  Fix: Migrate to a currently maintained XML parsing library.
• gotcha The `xml.parse` method always returns an array of nodes, even for valid XML documents with a single root. This is done to accommodate invalid XML with multiple root elements.
  Fix: Always treat the result of `xml.parse` as an array and access the first element (e.g., `parsedXML[0]`) if you expect a single root node.
• gotcha The package is CommonJS-only and relies on `require()`. It does not officially support ES Modules (`import`) syntax, which is standard in modern JavaScript environments.
  Fix: Use `const xml = require('xml-parse');` in CommonJS environments. For ESM projects, consider a modern alternative with ESM support.

Install

• npm install xml-parse npm
• yarn add xml-parse yarn
• pnpm add xml-parse pnpm

Imports

• xml
  wrong:

  import xml from 'xml-parse'

  correct:

  const xml = require('xml-parse')

  The package is CommonJS-only, last updated over 6 years ago, and does not support ES Modules.
• parse
  wrong:

  import { parse } from 'xml-parse'

  correct:

  const xml = require('xml-parse'); xml.parse(xmlString)

  The parse method is accessed via the default CommonJS export. It is not a named export.
• stringify
  wrong:

  import { stringify } from 'xml-parse'

  correct:

  const xml = require('xml-parse'); xml.stringify(parsedXml, 2)

  The stringify method is accessed via the default CommonJS export. It is not a named export.
• DOM
  wrong:

  import { DOM } from 'xml-parse'

  correct:

  const xml = require('xml-parse'); new xml.DOM(parsedXml)

  The DOM constructor is accessed via the default CommonJS export. It is not a named export.

Quickstart

Demonstrates parsing a valid XML string, accessing its structure via the simplified DOM, and then stringifying it back, showing the core functionalities.

const xml = require("xml-parse");

// 1. Parse an XML string (can handle invalid XML too)
const xmlString = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root><item>Hello</item><item>World</item></root>';
const parsedXML = xml.parse(xmlString);
console.log('Parsed XML (raw object structure):', JSON.stringify(parsedXML, null, 2));

// 2. Access elements using the simplified DOM
const xmlDoc = new xml.DOM(parsedXML);

// The root is always an array, so access the first element if expecting a single root
const rootElement = xmlDoc.document.childNodes[1]; // Skip the XML declaration

if (rootElement && rootElement.tagName === 'root') {
  console.log('\nRoot element tagName:', rootElement.tagName);
  const items = rootElement.getElementsByTagName('item');
  items.forEach((item, index) => {
    console.log(`Item ${index + 1} text:`, item.childNodes[0].text);
  });
} else {
  console.log('\nCould not find expected root element.');
}

// 3. Stringify the parsed object structure back to an XML string
const stringifiedXML = xml.stringify(parsedXML, 2); // 2 spaces for indentation
console.log('\nStringified XML:\n', stringifiedXML);