# xml format

> Format an XML document.
> More information: <https://xmlstar.sourceforge.net/doc/UG/xmlstarlet-ug.html#idm47077139569312>.

- Format an XML document, indenting with tabs:

`xml {{[fo|format]}} {{[-t|--indent-tab]}} {{path/to/input.xml|URI}} > {{path/to/output.xml}}`

- Format an HTML document, indenting with 4 spaces:

`xml {{[fo|format]}} {{[-H|--html]}} {{[-s|--indent-spaces]}} {{4}} {{path/to/input.html|URI}} > {{path/to/output.html}}`

- Recover parsable parts of a malformed XML document, without indenting:

`xml {{[fo|format]}} {{[-R|--recover]}} {{[-n|--noindent]}} {{path/to/malformed.xml|URI}} > {{path/to/recovered.xml}}`

- Format an XML document from `stdin`, removing the `DOCTYPE` declaration:

`cat {{path\to\input.xml}} | xml {{[fo|format]}} {{[-D|--dropdtd]}} > {{path/to/output.xml}}`

- Format an XML document, omitting the XML declaration:

`xml {{[fo|format]}} {{[-o|--omit-decl]}} {{path\to\input.xml|URI}} > {{path/to/output.xml}}`

- Display help:

`xml {{[fo|format]}} --help`