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Convert SQL to XML

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 28, 2026
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Is it possible to convert SQL to XML?
Yes - SQL converts to XML.

Import the .sql dump into a database using phpMyAdmin or Navicat Premium, then export the tables as .xml. SQL Server additionally supports a native FOR XML clause for precise control over element structure.

6 programs
Also to XML: IEPD · XHTML · TSI

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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Why convert SQL to XML?

XML output from a database is common in enterprise and legacy integration scenarios: SOAP web services, SAP or Oracle data exchange, and reporting pipelines often require .xml. SQL Server has built-in FOR XML support for exactly this reason.

How to convert SQL to XML

Navicat Premium APP

Connect to your database in Navicat Premium, run the .sql script to populate the tables, then use Export Wizard and select XML as the destination format.

DBeaver OPEN-SOURCE

Import the .sql dump by running the script in DBeaver's SQL editor, then right-click a table and choose Export Data, selecting XML as the output format.

Programs that convert SQL

FileMaker Pro for Windows
Microsoft Access
Navicat Premium
FileMaker Pro for Mac
phpMyAdmin
Visual Studio Code

About these formats

.SQL SQL Script (Structured Query Language source / database dump)

A SQL file is a plain-text file containing SQL commands - schema definitions, INSERT statements, or queries. Open it in any text editor to read it; to use it, execute it against a database…

Open .SQL details →
.XML Extensible Markup Language Document

An XML file is a plain-text document that stores structured data in nested, custom tags. Because it is just text, any text editor opens it - drag it into a browser tab for a quick,…

Open .XML details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Only INSERT row data exports as XML elements; DDL statements such as CREATE TABLE and index definitions are not included in the XML output.
  • A MySQL dump may need dialect edits before importing into PostgreSQL or SQLite due to differences in backtick quoting, AUTO_INCREMENT, and ENGINE clauses.
  • Export tools typically produce a generic flat XML structure with one element per row; SQL Server's FOR XML PATH clause gives more control over element naming and hierarchy.

Frequently asked questions

Can I convert the .sql file to XML without importing into a database?
No reliable tool handles this directly - the .sql file mixes schema definitions with row data that only a database engine can correctly parse before export.
What XML structure does the export typically produce?
Most tools produce a flat structure with one element per database row and child elements per column; SQL Server's FOR XML clause lets you customize element names and nesting.
Is phpMyAdmin suitable for large SQL dumps?
phpMyAdmin has a file-size upload limit set by the server's PHP configuration; for very large dumps, import via command line first, then export XML from within phpMyAdmin.
Can Visual Studio Code help with SQL-to-XML conversion?
Visual Studio Code can open and edit .sql files with syntax highlighting, but it has no built-in database engine or XML export - you still need a database tool to execute the dump and produce XML output.