JSON Formatter & Validator

Example

Paste this sample JSON and click Format:

What is JSON Formatting?

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format used by virtually every modern API, database, and web application. While machines can read compact JSON without any issues, developers often struggle to read minified or unformatted JSON data. That's where JSON formatting comes in.

JSON formatting (also called "pretty-printing") adds proper indentation, line breaks, and spacing to raw JSON data, making it human-readable. This tool automatically detects your JSON structure and applies consistent 2-space indentation to all nested objects and arrays.

Key Features of This Tool

• Pretty Print — Converts compact JSON into readable, indented format with 2-space indentation
• Minify — Removes all whitespace to reduce file size for production use
• Validate — Checks JSON syntax and pinpoints exact error location (line and position)
• Syntax Highlighting — Color-coded keys, strings, numbers, and booleans for easy reading
• Error Detection — Highlights the exact character where parsing fails
• Auto-format on Paste — Instantly formats JSON as soon as you paste it
• File Upload — Drag and drop .json files directly into the editor
• URL Fetch — Load JSON from any public API endpoint
• Share — Generate a shareable URL containing your JSON data
• History — Access your 5 most recent inputs

Common JSON Errors This Tool Detects

• Missing or extra commas between key-value pairs
• Unmatched brackets { } or square brackets [ ]
• Single quotes instead of double quotes (JSON requires double quotes)
• Trailing commas after the last item in an object or array
• Unquoted property names
• Invalid escape sequences in strings

When to Use a JSON Formatter

Developers commonly use JSON formatters when debugging API responses, reading configuration files, inspecting database records, or preparing JSON data for documentation. If you receive a single-line JSON response from an API and need to understand its structure, paste it here and click Format — the tool instantly reveals the nested structure with proper indentation.

Privacy & Security

This tool runs 100% in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your JSON data is never sent to any server — it stays on your machine. This makes it safe for formatting sensitive data like API keys, authentication tokens, or private configuration files. No data is stored, logged, or transmitted.

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