JSON Formatter

Overview

This JSON formatter takes minified or poorly formatted JSON and transforms it into clean, readable code with proper indentation. It also works as a JSON minifier when you need to compress JSON for production use.

Well-formatted JSON is essential for debugging API responses, reviewing configuration files and understanding complex data structures. Minified JSON reduces file size for faster network transfer and smaller storage footprint.

When to Use This Tool

Use this JSON formatter when:

• Debugging API responses that come back as single-line minified JSON
• Reviewing configuration files for errors or issues
• Preparing JSON examples for documentation
• Cleaning up JSON before committing to version control
• Minifying JSON for production deployment to reduce file size
• Checking if your JSON is valid (for detailed validation, use our JSON Validator)

How to Use

1. Paste your JSON - Enter your JSON data in the left input area. It can be minified, poorly formatted or already formatted.
2. Choose your indentation - Select 2, 4 or 6 spaces for the indentation level using the dropdown.
3. Click Format or Minify - Use "Format / Beautify" to make JSON readable or "Minify" to compress it.
4. Copy the result - Use the Copy button to copy the formatted output to your clipboard.

How It Works

Formatting (Beautifying)

• Parses the JSON string into a JavaScript object
• Serializes it back with the specified indentation
• Places each property on its own line
• Aligns nested structures with consistent indentation

Minifying

• Parses the JSON string into a JavaScript object
• Serializes it back with no whitespace
• Removes all line breaks, spaces and indentation
• Produces the smallest valid JSON representation

Limitations and Considerations

• Invalid JSON - The formatter will show an error if your input is not valid JSON.
• Key order - JSON object key order may not be preserved exactly as entered.
• Comments - JSON does not support comments; they will cause parsing errors.
• Trailing commas - JSON does not allow trailing commas; remove them before formatting.
• Large files - Very large JSON files may slow down your browser.

Examples

Formatting Example

Converting minified JSON to formatted output:

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "john@example.com",
  "age": 30,
  "address": {
    "city": "New York",
    "zip": "10001"
  },
  "roles": [
    "admin",
    "user"
  ]
}

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "john@example.com",
  "age": 30,
  "address": {
    "city": "New York",
    "zip": "10001"
  },
  "roles": [
    "admin",
    "user"
  ]
}

Minifying Example

Compressing formatted JSON for production:

{
  "config": {
    "debug": false,
    "cache": true,
    "timeout": 30000
  }
}

{
  "config": {
    "debug": false,
    "cache": true,
    "timeout": 30000
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions