About json formatter
JSON is the standard format for sending data between apps and APIs. A formatter indents it so people can read it, and a validator finds mistakes.
Common JSON errors
- Trailing commas after the last item.
- Single quotes instead of double quotes around keys and strings.
- Unquoted keys, or comments, which JSON does not allow.
- Unescaped quotes or line breaks inside strings.
Format and minify
Formatting adds line breaks and indentation. Minifying removes whitespace to make payloads smaller. Both keep the data identical.
A worked example
The minified text {"name":"Asha","age":30,"skills":["sql","python"]} becomes a readable block with each key on its own line and the skills list indented. If you leave a trailing comma after the last skill, the tool points to that line and says what it expected.
Handy habits
- Validate JSON before sending it to an API, to avoid confusing server errors.
- Minify JSON for production and format it for debugging.
- Use the tree view to explore large responses.
