JSON Formatter & Validator
Ensure your JSON data is valid and properly formatted with our free tool. Easily identify syntax errors, format with customizable indentation, and make your JSON more readable and maintainable.
See JSON Formatting in Action
Popular Use Cases for JSON Formatter & Validator
How Our JSON Formatter Compares
| Feature | JS Obfuscator Pro JSON Tool | JSONLint | JSON Formatter & Validator | JSON Editor Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free to Use | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No Registration Required | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Client-Side Processing | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Detailed Error Information | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Property Sorting | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fix Trailing Commas | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Customizable Indentation | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| File Size Limit | 10 MB | 2 MB | 5 MB | 5 MB |
| Detailed Statistics | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| JSON Schema Validation | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
How to Format and Validate JSON Data
Paste your JSON data
Enter your JSON data directly into the editor or drag and drop your JSON file.
Configure formatting options
Select your preferred indentation size and other formatting options such as property sorting.
Click "Format & Validate JSON"
Process your JSON data with one click to validate and format it properly.
Review validation results
Check for any syntax errors or view your properly formatted JSON. Download or copy the result.
What Users Say About Our JSON Formatter
Frequently Asked Questions About JSON Formatter & Validator
What is JSON and why does it need formatting?
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format that's easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate. JSON is often used for transmitting data between a server and web application, as an alternative to XML.
Formatting JSON makes it more readable by adding proper indentation, line breaks, and spacing. While machines can easily read minified JSON, proper formatting helps humans understand the structure, debug issues, and maintain the data. Our formatter also validates your JSON to ensure it adheres to the JSON specification, preventing potential errors when the data is processed.
What causes common JSON syntax errors?
Common JSON syntax errors include:
- Missing or extra commas - Forgetting a comma between properties or adding a trailing comma after the last item in an array or object
- Incorrect quotation marks - Using single quotes instead of double quotes, or mismatched quotes
- Improperly formatted property names - Property names must be in double quotes
- Invalid values - Using undefined, NaN, Infinity or functions as values (not allowed in JSON)
- Unclosed brackets or braces - Not properly closing arrays [] or objects {}
- Comments - Adding JavaScript-style comments (not allowed in standard JSON)
Our validator detects these errors and provides clear, helpful error messages to help you fix them quickly.
Is my JSON data processed securely?
Yes, your data is completely secure. Our JSON formatter and validator processes everything locally in your browser. Your JSON data is never sent to our servers, stored, or shared with third parties. This client-side approach ensures maximum privacy and security, making it safe to use even with sensitive data.
Additionally, since the processing happens locally, it's faster than server-based alternatives, especially for large JSON files.
What's the difference between formatting and minifying JSON?
Formatting JSON adds whitespace, indentation, and line breaks to make the data more readable for humans. It's useful during development, debugging, and documentation.
Minifying JSON removes all unnecessary whitespace and line breaks to reduce the file size. This is beneficial for production environments where the JSON will be processed by machines, as it reduces data transfer sizes and parsing time.
Our tool offers both options, letting you switch between human-readable formatted JSON and compact minified JSON based on your needs.
Why would I want to sort object properties?
Sorting object properties alphabetically provides several benefits:
- Consistent representation - Ensures a consistent order regardless of how the JSON was created
- Easier comparison - Makes it easier to compare different JSON objects or versions
- Better version control - Reduces meaningless diffs in version control systems
- Improved readability - Helps locate specific properties more quickly in large objects
While the JSON specification doesn't guarantee property order, sorting provides a predictable structure that's often helpful during development and debugging.
What file size limits apply to this tool?
Our JSON formatter and validator can handle files up to 10MB in size. This is considerably more than most online JSON tools, which typically limit processing to 1-2MB.
For files larger than 10MB, we recommend splitting them into smaller chunks or using dedicated desktop applications that can handle larger files without browser memory constraints.
Since all processing happens in your browser, performance will depend on your device's capabilities. Modern browsers and computers can handle the 10MB limit without issues.
About JSON
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format that has become the standard for API responses, configuration files, and data storage in many applications. Understanding JSON and keeping it properly formatted is essential for modern web development.
Key Features of JSON
- Language Independent - Despite its JavaScript origins, JSON is a text format that can be used with any programming language.
- Self-Describing - JSON data structures are easy to understand with key-value pairs that clearly describe the data.
- Easy to Parse - Most programming languages have built-in functions or libraries to parse JSON.
- Lightweight - JSON is less verbose than XML, making it faster to transmit and process.
- Hierarchical - JSON supports nested objects and arrays, allowing complex data structures.
JSON Data Types
JSON supports the following data types:
- String - Text enclosed in double quotes:
"Hello, world!" - Number - Integer or floating-point:
42or3.14159 - Boolean -
trueorfalse - Array - Ordered list of values:
[1, 2, 3] - Object - Collection of key-value pairs:
{"name": "John", "age": 30} - null - Empty value:
null
Notably, JSON does not support some JavaScript-specific values like undefined, NaN, Infinity, functions, or dates directly.
Benefits of Well-Formatted JSON
Keeping your JSON properly formatted and validated provides several advantages:
- Error Prevention - Catches syntax errors before they cause problems in your application
- Improved Readability - Makes the data structure clear and easier to understand
- Better Debugging - Helps identify issues in complex data structures
- Documentation - Well-formatted JSON serves as implicit documentation of data structures
- Collaboration - Makes it easier for team members to understand shared data formats
JSON Best Practices
- Always validate JSON before using it in production systems
- Use consistent naming conventions for properties (camelCase or snake_case)
- Consider minifying JSON for production/transfer but keep formatted versions for development
- Be mindful of deep nesting, as overly complex structures can be hard to maintain
- Use JSON Schema for validating structure and data types in complex applications
- Remember that JSON doesn't support comments - keep documentation elsewhere
- Consider using ISO 8601 format for dates:
"2023-04-15T14:30:00Z"