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JSON Formatter

Format, validate, and beautify JSON data

Tool Overview

The JSON Formatter helps you format compact JSON data into human-readable format and validate JSON syntax. It's essential for developers working with APIs, configuration files, and data exchange.

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How It Works

The JSON Formatter leverages JavaScript's native JSON parsing capabilities to process and format JSON data.

Processing Flow

  1. Validation Phase: Uses JSON.parse() to parse input and detect syntax errors.
    • Invalid JSON is rejected with error details
    • Line and column information is provided when available
  2. Formatting Phase: Uses JSON.stringify() with indentation parameter.
    • Supports 2/4/8 space indentation levels
    • Minify mode uses JSON.stringify() without indentation
  3. Highlighting Phase: Applies syntax highlighting to formatted JSON:
    • Keys (red)
    • String values (green)
    • Numbers (orange)
    • Booleans (blue)
    • null (gray)

Supported Input Formats

  • Compact JSON: Single-line JSON with no formatting
  • Minified JSON: Compressed JSON for production use
  • Partially formatted: JSON with some existing formatting

Key Features

// Format Example { "name": "John", "age": 30, "active": true } // Minify Example {"name":"John","age":30,"active":true}

The formatter preserves Unicode characters and special escape sequences while making the JSON human-readable. The minify feature removes all whitespace while maintaining valid JSON structure.

Features

  • JSON syntax validation
  • Indentation options (2, 4, 8 spaces)
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Minify JSON option
  • Copy formatted result

Usage Examples

Example 1: Format Compact JSON

Input:

{"name":"John","age":30,"city":"New York"}

Output:

{ "name": "John", "age": 30, "city": "New York" }

Example 2: Nested JSON

Input:

{"user":{"name":"Alice","settings":{"notifications":true,"theme":"dark"}}}

Output:

{ "user": { "name": "Alice", "settings": { "notifications": true, "theme": "dark" } } }

FAQ

What is JSON?

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate.

What causes JSON validation errors?

Common errors include missing commas, mismatched brackets/braces, trailing commas, and using single quotes instead of double quotes for strings.

Can I format large JSON files?

The tool handles reasonably sized JSON data. For very large files (10MB+), consider using a desktop application.