GPX & KML Validator: Track Distance & Elevation Analysis
GPX & KML File Structure Basics
GPX (GPS Exchange Format) and KML (Keyhole Markup Language) are both XML-based formats used for geographic data, but they serve different purposes:
| Feature | GPX | KML |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use | GPS track recording, hiking, cycling | 3D Earth visualization (Google Earth) |
| Coordinate Format | <trkpt lat="35.68" lon="139.69"> | <coordinates>139.69,35.68,0</coordinates> |
| Styling | None (data only) | Full styling (colors, icons, polygons) |
| Elevation | <ele>40</ele> per point | Third coordinate value |
GPX & KML Syntax Validator
Paste GPX or KML XML content. The validator checks XML well-formedness, extracts waypoints/track points, counts coordinates, and computes total 3D track distance.
When to Use GPX vs KML
If you are recording a hiking trail or cycling route with a Garmin, Wahoo, or phone GPS app, export as GPX. The format stores raw positional data (lat, lon, elevation, timestamps) without styling, making it ideal for analysis and re-import into mapping software.
If you need to share styled geographic overlays (colored polygons, custom icons, 3D flyovers) for Google Earth or similar visualization software, use KML. KML supports rich visual markup that GPX lacks.