Paste raw JSON to format, validate, and explore. Also convert JSON to CSV with one click.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data format used for storing and exchanging data. It is widely used in APIs, configuration files, and databases. Formatting makes it human-readable; validating ensures there are no syntax errors.
A JSON formatter (also called a JSON beautifier or pretty-printer) takes raw or minified JSON and adds consistent indentation and line breaks so it's readable at a glance. A JSON validator checks that the same text is syntactically correct JSON — valid double-quoted keys and strings, matched brackets, no trailing commas — and points to the exact location of any error instead of leaving you to hunt for a missing bracket by eye.
This tool combines both, plus the reverse operation (minify, for stripping whitespace before sending JSON over the wire) and a one-click JSON-to-CSV conversion for pulling a JSON array into a spreadsheet-friendly format.
| Error | Wrong | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Single quotes | {'name': 'John'} | {"name": "John"} |
| Trailing comma | ["a", "b", "c",] | ["a", "b", "c"] |
| Unquoted key | {name: "John"} | {"name": "John"} |
| Missing quotes on value | {"active": true, "name": John} | {"active": true, "name": "John"} |
| Who | Common Use |
|---|---|
| 🧑💻 Web & API developers | Pretty-print an API response to read it, or validate a payload before sending it |
| ⚙️ DevOps & config maintainers | Check config files (package.json, settings files) for syntax errors |
| 🎓 Students & learners | See a clean, indented view of JSON while learning the format |
| 📊 Data analysts | Convert a JSON API response into CSV for spreadsheet analysis |
| 🐛 QA & support | Quickly spot the exact syntax error in a malformed JSON payload from a bug report |
What is JSON and where is it used?
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight text format for storing and exchanging data. It is used in REST APIs (almost every web service API returns JSON), configuration files (package.json, settings files), databases (MongoDB stores JSON-like documents), and data exports. It is human-readable and language-independent.
Why do I get a JSON parse error?
Common causes: single quotes instead of double quotes around keys or strings; trailing commas after the last item in an array or object; unquoted property names; comments (not allowed in JSON); control characters in strings. This validator highlights the exact error location.
What's the difference between formatting and minifying JSON?
Formatting (pretty-printing) adds indentation and line breaks to make JSON human-readable. Minifying strips all unnecessary whitespace to make the file as small as possible — better for production API responses or storage, worse for reading by eye.
How do I create a JSON file from scratch?
Type or paste your data as valid JSON (double-quoted keys and string values, no trailing commas) into the input box, click Format & Validate to confirm it's error-free, then copy the output and save it with a .json extension in any text editor.
Can this tool convert JSON to CSV?
Yes — click the "→ CSV" button. It works on a JSON array of objects, using the keys from the first object as column headers. For the reverse direction (CSV to JSON), use the CSV Viewer & Converter tool.
What does "JavaScript Object Notation" actually mean?
JSON's syntax is based on how JavaScript writes object and array literals — curly braces {} for objects, square brackets [] for arrays, colons to separate keys from values. Despite the name, JSON is language-independent: almost every programming language has a JSON parser.
Is my JSON data uploaded anywhere?
No. Formatting, validating, minifying, and converting all happen locally in your browser using standard JavaScript — nothing you paste is sent to a server, which makes it safe for API responses containing tokens or other sensitive data.