What is JSON Formatting?
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format used everywhere from APIs to config files. JSON formatting takes minified or unreadable JSON and adds consistent indentation and line breaks so a human can actually read it. Validation, done at the same time, catches structural mistakes before they hit production.
How to Use This JSON Formatter
- Paste your JSON into the input panel on the left (or click Sample to try it out).
- The output panel on the right updates automatically with clean, indented JSON. Toggle between 2 and 4 spaces, or minify it.
- Hit Copyto grab the result. That's it.
Features
- Syntax highlighting for strings, numbers, booleans, and null
- Inline error detection with line numbers
- One-click minify for production payloads
- Copy to clipboard with a single click
- 2-space or 4-space indentation
- Keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+Enter to format, Ctrl+Shift+C to copy
- Runs entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded
Common JSON Errors
- Trailing commas — JSON does not allow a comma after the last element of an array or object.
- Single quotes — strings and keys must use double quotes.
- Unquoted keys — object keys must always be quoted strings.
- Comments — JSON does not support
//or/* */comments. - Unescaped characters — newlines, tabs, and quotes inside strings must be escaped with a backslash.