JSON Formatter, Validator & Minifier

Complete Guide to JSON Formatting and Validation

What is JSON?

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. It's widely used for APIs, configuration files, and data storage.

How to Use This Tool

1. Paste Your JSON: Copy and paste your JSON data into the input field
2. Automatic Validation: The tool instantly validates your JSON and shows any errors
3. Format Options: Choose between formatted (pretty) or minified output
4. Customize: Adjust indent size, sort keys, and other formatting options
5. Export: Copy to clipboard or download as a .json file

Features

1. JSON Validation

Instantly validates your JSON and provides detailed error messages if the syntax is incorrect. Common errors include:

• Missing or extra commas
• Unclosed brackets or braces
• Invalid string formatting
• Trailing commas (not allowed in strict JSON)

2. Formatting Options

• Indent Size: Choose between 2, 4, or 8 spaces for indentation
• Sort Keys: Alphabetically sort all object keys
• Escape Unicode: Convert unicode characters to escape sequences
• Minify: Remove all whitespace for compact output

3. Statistics

View detailed statistics about your JSON data:

• Size: Total byte size of the JSON
• Lines: Number of lines in formatted output
• Keys: Total number of keys in all objects
• Depth: Maximum nesting level

Common JSON Syntax

Objects

{
  "key": "value",
  "number": 123,
  "boolean": true
}

Arrays

[
  "item1",
  "item2",
  "item3"
]

Nested Structures

{
  "user": {
    "name": "John",
    "age": 30,
    "hobbies": ["reading", "coding"]
  }
}

Best Practices

• Always use double quotes for strings (not single quotes)
• Keys must be strings enclosed in double quotes
• No trailing commas after the last item
• Use proper data types: strings, numbers, booleans, null, objects, arrays
• Validate JSON before using it in production

Common Use Cases

Use Case	Description
API Development	Format and validate API request/response payloads
Configuration Files	Create and validate config files for applications
Data Exchange	Transfer data between different systems
Debugging	Pretty-print minified JSON for easier reading

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between formatted and minified JSON?

Formatted JSON includes whitespace and indentation for readability, while minified JSON removes all unnecessary whitespace to reduce file size.

Why is my JSON invalid?

Common issues include trailing commas, single quotes instead of double quotes, unquoted keys, or missing closing brackets.

Can I sort the keys in my JSON?

Yes! Enable the "Sort Keys Alphabetically" option to automatically sort all object keys in alphabetical order.

What does "Escape Unicode" do?

It converts special unicode characters (like emojis or accented letters) into their escape sequence format (\uXXXX).