JSON Formatter & Schema Inspector
One-click format, compress, validate JSON.
Awaiting input
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Output
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What is a JSON formatter?
A JSON formatter turns compressed or messy JSON into a readable, consistently indented document. It also validates the payload while parsing, so a stray comma or a single-quoted key is reported instead of silently accepted.
Developers reach for one when debugging an API response, reviewing a config file, or pasting a minified payload that is impossible to read by hand. Everything here runs inside your browser tab, so private payloads never leave the device.
How to format and validate JSON
- Paste your JSON into the editor on the left, or drop a .json file onto the input pane.
- The workspace parses as you type — the status bar shows line, column and error details when something is malformed.
- Pick a capability tab (Format, Minify, Validate, Tree, JSONPath, Convert, Schema, JWT) to switch the tool to that single job.
- Press Format to re-indent the document, or Minify to strip all insignificant whitespace.
- Copy the result, download it as a file, or send it to a related converter such as JSON to YAML or CSV.
JSON formatting examples
The same payload before and after formatting, and what minifying it looks like.
Pretty print with 2 spaces
{"id":7,"tags":["a","b"],"meta":{"ok":true}}{
"id": 7,
"tags": [
"a",
"b"
],
"meta": {
"ok": true
}
}Compress a payload
{
"id": 7,
"tags": ["a", "b"]
}{"id":7,"tags":["a","b"]}Browser JSON tool vs other options
| Dimension | This JSON workspace | Desktop IDE | cURL + jq |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Open a tab, nothing to install | Install and configure an editor | Install jq and pipe stdin |
| Privacy | Payload stays in the browser | Local, but files touch disk | Local, terminal history may log it |
| Error reporting | Line and column while typing | Editor diagnostics | One error at a time |
| Extras | Tree view, JSONPath, schema, converters | Plugin dependent | Flags per command |
| Best for | Quick inspection and sharing | Long refactors | Scripted pipelines |
Frequently Asked Questions & Specs
Is it safe to paste JSON here?
Yes. The editor, tree view, JSONPath, conversion and schema generation all run inside your browser tab, so the payload is never uploaded to a server and never leaves your device.
What is the difference between a JSON formatter and a JSON validator?
A formatter changes the whitespace so the document is readable; a validator decides whether the document is legal JSON at all. This page parses as you type and does both, and the JSON validator page is the focused version of the check.
How do I format JSON in JavaScript?
JSON.stringify(value, null, 2) returns the same two-space layout, and passing 4 instead of 2 gives four spaces. Calling JSON.stringify(value) with no third argument produces the minified form.
Does formatting change my data?
No. Only whitespace moves — keys, values and their order are preserved. The one exception is Sort keys, which reorders object keys alphabetically so that diffs between two payloads stay stable.
Do I need a Chrome extension to format JSON?
No. An extension is convenient because it auto-formats every JSON response you open, but it needs permission to read the pages you visit and has to be kept up to date. This page works in any browser from a tab, with nothing to install.
How do I keep the original key order?
Leave Sort keys off and only beautify the document. It keeps the exact order the keys arrived in.
Why does my JSON fail to parse?
The usual causes are a trailing comma, a single-quoted key, an unescaped control character inside a string, or a comment. The status bar points to the line and column of the first problem.