Basic parserNo AILocal previewDebuggingExport

XPath Tester

Paste an XPath expression and XML or HTML to preview matched nodes, document outline, and selector behavior without leaving the browser.

Examples

XPath and XML/HTML

Matched XPath nodesReady

Your preview will appear here.

Continue with a related tool

Move this preview into a nearby workflow for conversion, debugging, or export.

SQL to ER Diagram

Convert CREATE TABLE SQL into a Mermaid ER diagram.

Open

JSON Schema Visualizer

Inspect JSON Schema properties, types, required fields, and composition groups.

Open

JSON Schema Form Preview

Turn JSON Schema properties, required fields, enums, and formats into a form preview.

Open

How to use

1Put the XPath expression on the first line, then add --- and the XML or HTML document.
2Start with a broad path and narrow it gradually.
3Inspect matched nodes and document outline to catch namespace or nesting mistakes.
4Verify final expressions in the same parser used by your tests or automation.

Common use cases

XML feed debuggingHTML selector testingSitemap inspectionTest assertion designAI XPath validation

Related tools

SQL to ER Diagram

Convert CREATE TABLE SQL into a Mermaid ER diagram.

JSON Schema Visualizer

Inspect JSON Schema properties, types, required fields, and composition groups.

JSON Schema Form Preview

Turn JSON Schema properties, required fields, enums, and formats into a form preview.

FAQ

Why does an XPath expression return no nodes?

Common causes include namespaces, selecting text nodes instead of elements, invalid document structure, or a path that assumes a different nesting level.

Can I test HTML as well as XML?

Yes for common snippets, but parser behavior can differ from browser automation libraries and XML processors.

How do I make XPath more robust?

Prefer stable attributes and clear hierarchy over brittle positional indexes whenever possible.

XPath Tester runs XPath expressions against XML or HTML snippets and previews matched nodes, document outline, and result summaries.

It is useful for sitemap inspection, XML feed debugging, scraping selectors, test assertions, and AI-generated XPath expressions that need validation.

Namespaces, document mode, and text-node selection can change results, so previewing the match list before committing an expression saves time.

Demo: inspect sitemap URLs with XPath

XPath is useful for XML sitemaps, but namespaces and repeated url nodes can make quick checks error-prone. Preview the match list before turning an expression into a script.

Use local-name() when namespace handling is uncertain.
Avoid positional indexes until you know the URL order is stable.
Check both loc and lastmod when reviewing sitemap quality.

//*[local-name()="url"]/*[local-name()="loc"]/text()
---
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
  <url><loc>https://example.com/en</loc><lastmod>2026-06-18</lastmod></url>
</urlset>

Debug pattern: namespace-aware XPath testing

XPath examples often fail on real sitemaps, SVG, XML feeds, and SOAP responses because the document uses namespaces. A useful tester should make the namespace problem visible instead of making users guess.

Check the root xmlns before writing the expression.
Use local-name() when you need a quick namespace-independent inspection.
For production scripts, prefer explicit namespace bindings over local-name() shortcuts.

//*[local-name()="url"]/*[local-name()="loc"]/text()

Review checklist for XPath Tester

Use XPath Tester when you need to inspect source content visually before it becomes documentation, a pull request note, an incident write-up, or a handoff artifact. Test XPath expressions against XML or HTML and inspect matched nodes.

Before exporting, check that labels are readable, relationships match the source, generated examples do not contain private data, and the preview still makes sense after you edit the input.

Limits and troubleshooting

If the preview fails, reduce the input to the smallest complete example, confirm the format syntax, and then add sections back one at a time. Many rendering failures come from partial files, indentation mistakes, missing diagram headers, or copied snippets that depend on hidden context.

Treat the preview as a review surface rather than a source of truth. Generated diagrams, converted files, dashboards, and rule examples should be checked before they are used in production documentation or operations.

Example inputs to test

RSS titles: //item/title --- <rss><channel><item><title>Release notes</title></item><item><title>API guide</title></item></channel></rss>
HTML links: //a/@href --- <html><body><a href="/docs">Docs</a><a href="/tools">Tools</a></body></html>
Simple XML: //book[@category="api"]/title --- <catalog><book category="api"><title>OpenAPI Guide</title></book><book category="ops"><title>Nginx Notes</title></book></catalog>

Tool maturity

Basic parser

This tool focuses on fast structure inspection. Use it for review and debugging, then verify critical output before production use.

The maturity label is not a quality score. It tells visitors whether the tool is best for stable export, deeper debugging, quick parsing, or AI-assisted generation.