Create XML Files from MySQL: With & Without Attributes

This n8n workflow automates the extraction of data from a MySQL database and its conversion into XML format in two variations: a basic structure without attributes and an advanced one using attributes defined via dollar-sign prefixed JSON keys. It starts with a manual trigger, queries 16 random product records from a 'products' table using a simple SQL statement with RAND() ordering, then branches into two parallel paths. In the upper path, a Set node defines the XML structure by mapping fields like productCode, productName, productLine, productScale, and MSRP. An Item Lists node aggregates items into an array, enabling the XML node to generate a clean, nested XML file which is then saved locally.

The lower path mirrors this process but incorporates XML attributes by prefixing keys with '$' in the Set node (e.g., $attributeName), allowing for richer metadata in the output XML. Both files are persisted to the local filesystem, providing immediate downloadable results. This dual approach highlights n8n's flexibility in handling XML generation without custom code.

Benefits include time savings in data export tasks, eliminating manual scripting for XML formatting, and ensuring consistency across outputs. It's ideal for legacy system integrations, report generation, or preparing data for applications that require specific XML schemas. Use cases span e-commerce product catalogs, inventory reporting, data migration to XML-based systems, or testing XML parsers, making it valuable for developers and analysts needing quick, repeatable exports from relational databases.