Read an API response without squinting
Minified JSON arrives as one long line. Formatting adds indentation and line breaks so the structure becomes obvious, and validating tells you exactly where a stray comma or missing bracket sits. Minifying does the reverse when you are ready to ship a config or a payload.
Errors that cause most failures
- A trailing comma after the last item, which JSON does not allow
- Single quotes instead of double quotes
- Unquoted keys, which are valid in JavaScript but not in JSON
- Comments, which JSON has no support for
- NaN or undefined, which are not JSON values
Privacy for real payloads
Parsing runs entirely in the browser, so API keys, tokens and customer records in a pasted response never leave your machine. Even so, strip live secrets out of anything you paste into any tool as a matter of habit.
Frequently asked questions
Does this send my JSON anywhere?
No. It is parsed locally with the browser's own JSON engine.
Can it handle large files?
Several megabytes are fine on a desktop browser. Very large files are better handled with a command line tool.
Why does my file fail validation?
Usually a trailing comma, single quotes or a comment. The error message shows the position where parsing stopped.