xml.etree.ElementTree vs xmltodict

Developers should use xml meets developers should use xmltodict when they need to quickly parse or generate xml data in python applications, such as in web scraping, api integrations, or configuration file processing. Here's our take.

xml.etree.ElementTree

Nice Pick

Developers should use xml

Pros

• etree
• Related to: python, xml-parsing

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

xmltodict

Developers should use xmltodict when they need to quickly parse or generate XML data in Python applications, such as in web scraping, API integrations, or configuration file processing

Pros

• It is particularly useful for projects where XML is not the primary data format but needs occasional handling, as it reduces boilerplate code and improves readability compared to lower-level XML libraries
• Related to: python, xml

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use xml.etree.ElementTree if: You want etree and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use xmltodict if: You prioritize it is particularly useful for projects where xml is not the primary data format but needs occasional handling, as it reduces boilerplate code and improves readability compared to lower-level xml libraries over what xml.etree.ElementTree offers.

The Bottom Line

xml.etree.ElementTree wins

Developers should use xml