XSD Generator (XML to XML Schema)

An XML Schema (XSD) describes which elements and attributes an XML document may contain, how often, in what order and with what types; validators, code generators and integration partners all ask for one. Writing it from scratch is slow. Paste one or more sample documents and get a starting XSD: elements, nesting and order, minOccurs and maxOccurs from what the samples show, required and optional attributes, and simple types inferred from the values. Choose nested (Russian doll) or named-type (Venetian blind) design.

How to use this tool

1. Paste a sample document — or several, separated by a line with only ---, to cover optional and repeated parts.
2. Choose Russian doll (one nested declaration) or Venetian blind (reusable named complex types).
3. Decide whether simple types are inferred or left as xs:string.
4. Copy the XSD, then tighten it by hand: enumerations, patterns, lengths and ranges.

Formula

element seen in every parent → minOccurs 1 · missing somewhere → minOccurs="0" · more than once in a parent → maxOccurs="unbounded" · attribute on every element → use="required"

Simple types: xs:boolean for true/false, xs:integer for whole numbers, xs:decimal for decimals, xs:date and xs:dateTime for ISO 8601 values that are real calendar dates, otherwise xs:string (also when a value is sometimes empty). Elements with attributes and text use simpleContent; elements that are always empty get an empty complexType. If children appear in different orders, xs:all is used (or an unbounded xs:choice when some repeat). The root's namespace becomes the targetNamespace.

Example

The sample catalog gives <xs:element name="catalog"> containing book with maxOccurs="unbounded". Each book has a required id and an optional lang attribute; title is xs:string; price uses simpleContent with base xs:decimal and a required currency attribute; published is xs:date with minOccurs="0" (only the first book has it); tag is xs:string with minOccurs="0" and maxOccurs="unbounded".