Light-weight XML editor

I was looking for an XML editor to perform a few simple tasks. Since i worked heavily with XML a few years ago, the Windows XML editor of choice is apparently still the Altova XML Spy. You can get it to do anything with XML (except – i think – transform XML to coffee). Negative minds would probably call it bloated and expensive. Positive minds would look for a cheap agile alternative.

Using the Open Source Alternative-site it is possible to find applications doing somewhat the same as commercial products. For the XML Spy query, the result is XML Copy Editor – a SourceForge application that has currently reached version 1.0.9. My needs were met as it:

1. color-codes XML
2. beautify/pretty-print XML with consistent indentations to increase readability
3. opens files directly from URL’s

Also it XSLT transforms and has a small set of other features you may or may not need. Before you venture into extensive license bill-paying, you may try out this nifty little XML editor.