Staaarter Tools

XML to Bencode Converter

Converts XML to JSON, then Bencodes that value: strings as len:data, integers as iNe, lists as l...e, and dictionaries as d...e with keys sorted lexicographically, per the Bencode specification BitTorrent uses. A free online tool from Staaarter, right in your browser.

Runs locallyUpdated 2026-07-23
conversionencoding

Overview

Introduction

Bencode is a small, simple binary-safe encoding best known from BitTorrent .torrent files.

This tool converts XML data into it directly.

What Is XML to Bencode Converter?

A converter that turns XML into JSON.

It then encodes that value as Bencode following the BitTorrent specification exactly: byte strings, integers, lists, and sorted-key dictionaries.

How XML to Bencode Converter Works

XML is converted to JSON the same way the XML to JSON Converter does it.

The parsed value is then recursively encoded: strings as length-prefixed byte strings, integers as iNe, arrays as l...e lists, and objects as d...e dictionaries with keys sorted lexicographically.

When To Use XML to Bencode Converter

Use it when working with BitTorrent-adjacent tooling.

It's also a quick way to see what a piece of XML data looks like in this simple binary-safe format.

Often used alongside Bencode to XML Converter, XML to BSON Converter and XML to JSON Converter.

Features

Advantages

  • Follows the real Bencode specification exactly, not a simplified approximation.
  • Runs entirely client-side.
  • Handles arbitrary nesting depth and repeated elements without extra configuration.

Limitations

  • Bencode has no float type, decimal numbers are encoded as strings.
  • Bencode has no boolean or null type either; this converter encodes true/false as the strings "true"/"false" and null as an empty string, a reasonable but non-standard convention since Bencode itself doesn't define one.

Examples

Encoding a small record

Input

<user><name>Ada</name><age>36</age></user>

Output

d4:userd3:age2:364:name3:Adaee

The dictionary's keys (age, name) are sorted lexicographically, per the Bencode spec, even though age appeared after name in the source XML.

Best Practices & Notes

Best Practices

  • Don't rely on the output's key order matching your XML's element order, sorting is part of the spec.
  • Use Bencode to XML Converter to check what a round trip does to your specific data.
  • Keep boolean and null values in mind, they encode as plain strings since Bencode has no native type for either.

Developer Notes

Encoding lives in `bencode-core.ts`'s `encodeBencode`, a direct recursive implementation of BEP 3 with no external dependency.

XML to Bencode Converter Use Cases

  • Exploring how XML data looks encoded in Bencode
  • Working with BitTorrent-adjacent tooling that expects Bencode input
  • Teaching or demonstrating how Bencode's four types map onto a familiar XML document

Common Mistakes

  • Expecting the original element order to be preserved for object keys, Bencode dictionaries are always key-sorted.
  • Assuming decimal numbers stay numeric, they're encoded as strings since Bencode has no float type.

Tips

  • Use Bencode to XML Converter to check what a round trip does to your specific data.
  • Check the FAQ above if the output doesn't look like what you expected.

References

Frequently Asked Questions