How do I format minified JSON?+
Paste your minified JSON into the editor and it formats automatically. If auto-format is off, click the 'Format' button.
Why does it say 'Invalid JSON'?+
Common causes: trailing commas (not valid in JSON), single quotes instead of double quotes, unescaped special characters, or missing closing brackets. The error message shows the line number to help you locate the issue.
Is there a size limit for the JSON I can paste?+
There is no enforced limit, but very large JSON files (over 10 MB) may slow down the browser's parser. For large files, consider a desktop JSON editor.
What is the difference between JSON and JSONC?+
JSONC is JSON with comments (like TypeScript's tsconfig.json). Standard JSON does not support comments. This tool validates standard JSON - remove comments before pasting JSONC.
What is the difference between JSON and XML?+
JSON uses key-value pairs and arrays with a compact syntax, making it the standard for REST APIs. XML uses tags with attributes and is more verbose but supports namespaces, schemas (XSD), and complex document structures. JSON has largely replaced XML for web APIs.
What makes JSON invalid?+
Common causes of invalid JSON: trailing commas after the last item in an object or array, single quotes instead of double quotes around keys or strings, unescaped special characters in strings, missing commas between items, and undefined or NaN values (which are JavaScript-specific and not valid JSON).
What is the difference between minifying and beautifying JSON?+
Beautifying adds indentation and line breaks to make JSON human-readable. Minifying removes all unnecessary whitespace to reduce file size for transmission. Use beautified JSON for development and debugging; use minified JSON in API responses and config files to reduce bandwidth.
What is JSON5 and how does it differ from JSON?+
JSON5 is a superset of JSON that allows comments, trailing commas, single-quoted strings, unquoted object keys, and multi-line strings. It is used in some configuration files but is not valid standard JSON. This tool validates standard JSON only.
How do I handle large JSON files in this tool?+
The tool handles most real-world JSON files in the browser. For files over 5 MB, performance may slow as the browser parses the entire structure. For very large files (10 MB or more), use a desktop tool like VS Code or jq in the terminal for faster processing.