BPMN XML Validator
Paste BPMN 2.0 XML and find out exactly why it will not import: parse errors, unresolved references, missing diagram interchange, and violations of the normative rules, each cited against the OMG 2.0.2 spec. Runs entirely in your browser.
Three layers of validation
1. XML parsing. If the document is malformed (unclosed tags, invalid characters, missing BPMN namespaces), you get the parser's own error message pointing at the problem.
2. Interchange warnings. XML that parses can still contain broken references: flows pointing at ids that do not exist, elements missing from the diagram interchange section. These surface as import warnings from the same engine Camunda Modeler uses.
3. Normative rules. Finally the process itself is checked against 19 rules from the BPMN 2.0.2 specification (start/end event constraints, gateway fan rules, pool boundaries, token flow, branch conditions), each reported PASS, FAIL, or WARN with the clause and page number.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between XML that parses and XML that is valid BPMN?
Three different things can be wrong. The XML itself can be malformed (unclosed tags, bad namespaces), the BPMN structure can reference elements that do not exist (a sequence flow pointing at a deleted task), or the process can break normative rules of the spec (a gateway that both splits and merges). This tool reports all three layers separately.
Why does my hand-written or AI-generated BPMN XML fail to import?
The most common causes are missing or wrong namespace declarations, sequence flows whose sourceRef or targetRef does not match any element id, missing BPMNDiagram interchange (DI) sections so tools have no coordinates to draw, and ids that are not valid XML NCNames. The parse-error and import-warning sections of this tool point at each one directly.
Does it validate against the official BPMN 2.0 XSD schema?
It does something more useful: it runs your XML through the same importer used by Camunda Modeler and bpmn.io (bpmn-js), which reports real interchange problems, then checks 19 normative rules from the BPMN 2.0.2 spec that an XSD alone cannot express, such as token-flow reachability and gateway constraints.
Is my XML sent anywhere?
No. Parsing and validation run entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded, logged, or stored. If you choose to email yourself the report, only the pass/fail summary and rule notes are sent, never your XML.
Can I validate a .bpmn file instead of pasting XML?
Yes. Use the upload tab, or the BPMN Validator page which defaults to file upload. Both run exactly the same checks.
Generating BPMN XML by hand or with AI?
Swimdraft generates the XML for you from notes or transcripts, validates it against all 19 rules, and auto-repairs failures before you ever see them. First 5 diagrams free.
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