JSON Formatting: A Complete Guide for Developers

What is JSON?

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data format used for data exchange between servers and clients. It's human-readable and easy for machines to parse.

JSON Syntax Basics

JSON supports the following data types:

{
  "string": "hello world",
  "number": 42,
  "decimal": 3.14,
  "boolean": true,
  "null": null,
  "array": [1, 2, 3],
  "object": {"nested": "value"}
}

Common JSON Mistakes

1. Trailing Commas

Unlike JavaScript, JSON doesn't allow trailing commas:

❌ {"name": "John", "age": 30,}

✅ {"name": "John", "age": 30}

2. Single Quotes

JSON requires double quotes for strings. Single quotes are invalid:

❌ {'name': 'John'}

✅ {"name": "John"}

3. Unquoted Keys

All object keys must be quoted strings:

❌ {name: "John"}

✅ {"name": "John"}

💡 Pro Tip: Use our JSON Formatter to automatically fix common syntax errors and validate your JSON.

When to Minify vs. Format

Scenario	Action	Why
Production APIs	Minify	Reduces payload size
Debugging	Format	Easier to read
Documentation	Format	Human readability
Config files	Format	Maintainability

Best Practices

Use consistent naming conventions (camelCase or snake_case)
Keep nesting depth reasonable (max 3-4 levels)
Document your JSON schema
Use null for missing values, not empty strings
Consider using JSON Schema for validation