//create XMLDocument object from file var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); xhr.open('GET', 'file.xml', false); xhr.send(null); var doc = xhr.responseXML; //get first element var firstItem = doc.evaluate( '//item[1]', doc, null, XPathResult.FIRST_ORDERED_NODE_TYPE, null ).singleNodeValue; alert( firstItem.textContent ); //output contents of elements var prices = doc.evaluate( '//price', doc, null, XPathResult.ANY_TYPE, null ); for( var price = prices.iterateNext(); price != null; price = prices.iterateNext() ) { alert( price.textContent ); } //add elements to array var names = doc.evaluate( '//name', doc, null, XPathResult.ANY_TYPE, null); var namesArray = []; for( var name = names.iterateNext(); name != null; name = names.iterateNext() ) { namesArray.push( name ); } alert( namesArray );