Raw JSON from an API or a log file often arrives as one unreadable line — or worse, with a syntax error hiding inside it. This formatter pretty-prints JSON with clean two-space indentation so the structure is obvious, and if the input is invalid it tells you what went wrong and roughly where, instead of failing silently.
Format, Validate and Minify
One tool covers the three jobs developers do with JSON every day. Formatting expands compact data into a readable tree you can scan. Validation checks the text against the JSON rules and highlights the first error it finds, which is usually a missing comma, a trailing comma or an unquoted key. Minifying does the reverse, stripping whitespace to produce the smallest valid version for embedding or transport. You can also sort object keys alphabetically, which makes two responses easy to compare side by side.
How to Format JSON
- Paste your JSON into the input area.
- Click format to pretty-print it, or minify to compact it.
- If there is an error, read the message and fix the highlighted spot.
- Optionally sort the keys for easier comparison.
- Copy the result or download it as a .json file.
Built for Daily Development
- Reading API responses and webhook payloads quickly.
- Debugging configuration files that refuse to load.
- Checking data exported from apps, logs and databases.
- Preparing tidy examples for documentation and tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as invalid JSON?
Common culprits are trailing commas, single quotes instead of double quotes, unquoted property names and missing brackets. The error message points you to the first one.
Does formatting change my data?
No. Formatting only changes whitespace and key order if you ask for it; the values themselves stay exactly the same.
Is my JSON sent to a server?
No. Parsing happens in your browser, so even sensitive payloads stay on your machine.