What is JSON formatting (pretty printing)?

JSON formatting adds indentation and line breaks to compact JSON, making it easy for humans to read. Minification does the opposite — removes all unnecessary whitespace to produce the smallest possible file, ideal for APIs and production builds.

How do I validate JSON?

Paste your JSON and click Validate or Format. If the JSON is valid, you'll see a success indicator. If invalid, the error message tells you exactly which line and character position contains the syntax error.

Is my JSON data secure?

Yes. All processing happens in your browser using JavaScript's built-in JSON.parse(). Your JSON data is never sent to any server.

What is the difference between JSON and a JavaScript object?

JSON is a text format that is a strict subset of JavaScript. In JSON, all keys must be in double quotes, and it does not support functions, undefined values, comments, or trailing commas. A JavaScript object is a runtime data structure that can contain all of these.

What causes 'Unexpected token' errors in JSON?

Common causes include: using single quotes instead of double quotes, trailing commas after the last item in an array or object, missing commas between items, and unescaped special characters inside strings (use \" for a double quote inside a string).

JSON Formatter & Validator

Format, validate, and minify JSON instantly — with syntax error highlighting.

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About JSON Formatter & Validator

Free online JSON formatter, validator, and minifier. Pretty-print JSON with custom indentation to make it human-readable, minify JSON to reduce file size for production, or validate JSON syntax and see exactly which line contains an error. Everything runs in your browser — no JSON data is ever sent to a server.

How to Use JSON Formatter & Validator

Paste your JSON text into the editor on the left.
Click Format to pretty-print with indentation, or Minify to compress whitespace.
Syntax errors are highlighted in red — the error message shows the exact line and character position.
Fix the error and click Format again.
Click Copy to copy the formatted or minified output to your clipboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is JSON formatting (pretty printing)?: JSON formatting adds indentation and line breaks to compact JSON, making it easy for humans to read. Minification does the opposite — removes all unnecessary whitespace to produce the smallest possible file, ideal for APIs and production builds.
How do I validate JSON?: Paste your JSON and click Validate or Format. If the JSON is valid, you'll see a success indicator. If invalid, the error message tells you exactly which line and character position contains the syntax error.
Is my JSON data secure?: Yes. All processing happens in your browser using JavaScript's built-in JSON.parse(). Your JSON data is never sent to any server.
What is the difference between JSON and a JavaScript object?: JSON is a text format that is a strict subset of JavaScript. In JSON, all keys must be in double quotes, and it does not support functions, undefined values, comments, or trailing commas. A JavaScript object is a runtime data structure that can contain all of these.
What causes 'Unexpected token' errors in JSON?: Common causes include: using single quotes instead of double quotes, trailing commas after the last item in an array or object, missing commas between items, and unescaped special characters inside strings (use \" for a double quote inside a string).

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JSON Formatter & Validator

Format, validate, and minify JSON instantly — with syntax error highlighting.

JSON Input

Output

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About JSON Formatter & Validator

How to Use JSON Formatter & Validator

Paste your JSON text into the editor on the left.
Click Format to pretty-print with indentation, or Minify to compress whitespace.
Syntax errors are highlighted in red — the error message shows the exact line and character position.
Fix the error and click Format again.
Click Copy to copy the formatted or minified output to your clipboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is JSON formatting (pretty printing)?: JSON formatting adds indentation and line breaks to compact JSON, making it easy for humans to read. Minification does the opposite — removes all unnecessary whitespace to produce the smallest possible file, ideal for APIs and production builds.
How do I validate JSON?: Paste your JSON and click Validate or Format. If the JSON is valid, you'll see a success indicator. If invalid, the error message tells you exactly which line and character position contains the syntax error.
Is my JSON data secure?: Yes. All processing happens in your browser using JavaScript's built-in JSON.parse(). Your JSON data is never sent to any server.
What is the difference between JSON and a JavaScript object?: JSON is a text format that is a strict subset of JavaScript. In JSON, all keys must be in double quotes, and it does not support functions, undefined values, comments, or trailing commas. A JavaScript object is a runtime data structure that can contain all of these.
What causes 'Unexpected token' errors in JSON?: Common causes include: using single quotes instead of double quotes, trailing commas after the last item in an array or object, missing commas between items, and unescaped special characters inside strings (use \" for a double quote inside a string).