Format, validate, and minify JSON data instantly. Detect syntax errors with line numbers, explore nested structures, and convert between formats.
Output will appear here
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is the most widely used data interchange format on the web. It's lightweight, human-readable, and supported by virtually every programming language. APIs, configuration files, databases, and web applications all rely heavily on JSON for data storage and communication.
Valid JSON must follow strict syntax rules: strings must use double quotes (not single quotes), no trailing commas are allowed after the last element, keys must be quoted strings, and values can only be strings, numbers, booleans (true/false), null, arrays, or objects. Comments are not allowed in standard JSON.
Formatting (also called "pretty-printing") adds indentation and line breaks to make JSON readable. While whitespace doesn't affect the data, properly formatted JSON is essential for debugging, code reviews, and documentation. Most developers use 2-space or 4-space indentation.
Minification removes all unnecessary whitespace, reducing file size for production use. This is especially important for API responses and configuration files transmitted over the network, where every byte counts.
Common JSON errors include missing commas between elements, unmatched brackets or braces, using single quotes instead of double quotes, trailing commas, and unescaped special characters in strings. Our validator pinpoints the exact location of syntax errors to help you fix them quickly.