JSON Formatter: How to Format and Validate JSON

JSON is a popular format for APIs and configuration files. A JSON formatter makes JSON readable by adding indentation and line breaks, and a validator checks that the syntax is correct.

Use the JSON Formatter tool

Open JSON Formatter & Validator, paste your JSON, then format or minify it.

Common JSON errors

• Trailing commas (not allowed)
• Missing double quotes around keys or strings
• Mismatched brackets/braces
• Using comments (standard JSON doesn’t allow them)

Best practices

• Use double quotes consistently
• Keep nesting reasonable for readability
• Validate after edits
• Format before sharing or saving

Related tools

• JSON Formatter
• HTML Formatter
• CSS Formatter

FAQs

Does formatting change my data?

No. Formatting only changes whitespace and indentation, not the values.

Why does my JSON not parse?

Usually it’s a missing comma, quote, or bracket. The validator error message helps locate it.