JSON Formatter & Validator
Paste any JSON to format, minify, and validate it instantly — with clear error messages.
Results are for general guidance only — not professional advice. Learn more.
How to use this tool
Paste your JSON into the input field above and choose an action:
- Format / Beautify: Parses and re-outputs the JSON with 2-space indentation for easy reading.
- Minify: Strips all whitespace to produce the most compact valid JSON.
- Validate: Checks if the JSON is syntactically valid without modifying it.
- Clear: Resets both the input and output fields.
If there is a parse error, the tool will display the error message with a line hint to help you find the problem quickly.
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Frequently asked questions
What is JSON?
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight, human-readable data interchange format. It uses key-value pairs and ordered lists, and is the most widely used format for APIs, configuration files, and data storage across all programming languages.
How do I validate JSON?
Valid JSON must follow strict syntax rules: strings must use double quotes, keys must be quoted strings, and no trailing commas are allowed. Paste your JSON into this tool and click Validate — if there is an error, the tool will highlight the problem and give you a hint.
What causes a JSON parse error?
Common causes include: single quotes instead of double quotes around strings, trailing commas after the last item in an object or array, unescaped special characters in strings, missing colons or commas, and undefined or NaN values which are not valid JSON.
What is the difference between JSON and JavaScript objects?
JSON is a strict text format that is a subset of JavaScript. Unlike JavaScript objects, JSON requires all keys to be double-quoted strings, does not support functions, undefined, or comments. A JavaScript object literal can use single quotes and unquoted keys, but these are not valid JSON.