Top Tools and Methods to Perform XSLT Transformations

XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) is a powerful method for converting XML data into other formats, such as HTML, plain text, or different XML structures. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned developer, there are multiple ways to run XSLT transformations depending on your workflow.

In this blog, we’ll explore all the popular tools and techniques—from online editors and browser-based rendering to desktop software, command-line tools, and code-based options.

Online Tools for XSLT Transformation

These websites allow you to quickly test and run XSLT without installing anything:

• FreeFormatter.com
• XSLT.online
• CodeBeautify XSLT Tool
• TutorialsPoint XSLT Transformer

You just paste your XML and XSL files, and view the output instantly.

Running XSLT in Web Browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)

You can embed a reference to your XSL file directly in your XML like this:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="style.xsl"?>
<catalog>
   <book><title>Harry Potter</title></book>
</catalog>

Open this XML in your browser, and the browser applies the XSL to render it (usually as HTML).
Note : – If using Chrome, run it with this flag for local files, in case of any file access errors:
chrome.exe --allow-file-access-from-files

Desktop Applications

These are more powerful and ideal for complex projects:

• Saxon – Java-based XSLT 2.0/3.0 processor
• Altova XMLSpy – Commercial GUI tool with debugging features
• Oxygen XML Editor – Professional XML/XSLT development environment
• Stylus Studio – Full-featured IDE for XML
• Microsoft XML Notepad – Lightweight and free editor

Code-Based XSLT Transformation

JavaScript (Browser-side):

const xsltProcessor = new XSLTProcessor();
xsltProcessor.importStylesheet(xslDoc);
const result = xsltProcessor.transformToFragment(xmlDoc, document);
document.body.appendChild(result);

Python with lxml:

from lxml import etree
dom = etree.parse("input.xml")
xslt = etree.parse("style.xsl")
transform = etree.XSLT(xslt)
newdom = transform(dom)
print(str(newdom))

You can also use XSLT in Java, C# (.NET), PHP, and other languages that support XML parsing and transformation.

IDE Integration

Many modern IDEs support XML/XSLT with plugins or built-in support:

• Visual Studio Code – Add-ons like XML Tools or XSLT 3.0 support
• IntelliJ IDEA – Native support for XML and XSL
• Eclipse – Use the Web Tools Platform plugin

XSLT transformations can be run in many flexible ways depending on your environment—whether you’re coding, using a browser, or just need a quick online conversion. This flexibility makes XSLT incredibly useful for both developers and content managers working with structured data.