JSON Formatter & Validator
Paste JSON to instantly format, validate, and syntax-highlight it. Minify or beautify with one click. Runs entirely in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What does JSON formatting do?
JSON formatting (also called "pretty printing" or "beautifying") takes compact or messy JSON and adds consistent indentation and line breaks to make it human-readable. For example, {"a":1,"b":2} becomes a neatly indented multi-line structure that's easy to read and debug.
What does the validator check?
The validator checks whether your JSON is syntactically valid according to the JSON specification. Common errors include missing commas, trailing commas, unquoted keys, single quotes instead of double quotes, and unclosed brackets. The error message will tell you exactly what's wrong and where.
What is JSON minification?
Minification removes all unnecessary whitespace from JSON, producing the smallest possible string. This is useful when sending JSON over a network (e.g. API responses) where file size matters. Minified JSON is identical in meaning to formatted JSON — just less readable.
Is my JSON data sent to a server?
No. All formatting, validation, and minification happens locally in your browser using JavaScript's built-in JSON.parse() and JSON.stringify(). Your data never leaves your device and nothing is logged or stored.
Can I change the indentation style?
Yes. Use the Indent dropdown to choose between 2 spaces (default), 4 spaces, or a tab character. The output will update immediately when you change the setting.
What's the difference between 2-space and 4-space indentation?
Both are equally valid. 2-space indentation is more compact and common in JavaScript/Node.js projects. 4-space indentation is preferred in some Python and Java environments. Tab indentation allows each developer to set their own display width.