Returning XML Responses in Flask

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When building APIs with Flask, JSON is often the go-to format for data exchange. However, XML is still widely used in various industries, particularly in enterprise environments, legacy systems, and data interchange protocols. This post will guide you through creating XML responses in Flask, covering both simple and complex cases.

Why Use XML in APIs?

Although JSON has become the default for most web APIs due to its simplicity and readability, XML is still relevant. XML provides:

• Stricter data structuring: It’s commonly used for data validation in business applications.
• Compatibility with older systems: Legacy applications and certain industries still depend on XML.
• Enhanced metadata support: XML’s attributes and nested elements can sometimes offer richer data representation.

If you’re building a Flask API and need to support XML responses, let’s dive into how to set this up.

Basic XML Response in Flask

Let’s start with a simple example where you return an XML response from an endpoint. Flask doesn’t directly support XML responses like JSON, so we’ll use a few workarounds.

Step 1: Create a Simple XML Response