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JSON Prettify and Format

Format messy or minified JSON into clean, readable output, or minify it down to a single compact line.

Category: development
Use Case: Reading a Minified API Response, Validating JSON Syntax, Shrinking JSON for a Config File
Privacy: 100% browser-based

Recommended Settings

Pro Tips

  • Prettify adds consistent indentation and line breaks to make deeply nested JSON easy to read at a glance
  • Minify strips all unnecessary whitespace, producing the smallest possible valid JSON - useful for reducing payload size
  • Any syntax error shows a specific error message describing what's wrong, helping you pinpoint the exact problem
  • This also works as a validator - if it prettifies without an error, your JSON is syntactically valid

Most Popular

Most developers use 2-space indentation, the most common convention for readable JSON in code and config files

When to Use This Tool

Reading a Minified API Response

Format a single-line API response into readable, indented JSON.

Validating JSON Syntax

Quickly check whether a piece of JSON is syntactically valid.

Shrinking JSON for a Config File

Minify JSON down to its smallest valid form to reduce file size.

Cleaning Up Copy-Pasted JSON

Reformat inconsistently indented JSON copied from various sources.

How It Works

1

Parse your input as JSON, which also validates its syntax

2

Re-serialize the parsed structure with your chosen indentation, or with no whitespace at all for minification

3

Show a specific parse error immediately if the input isn't valid JSON

100% Private

Files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.

Lightning Fast

Powered by Client-side JSON parsing and serialization for optimal performance on modern browsers.

Open Source

Built with verified, open-source libraries. Fully transparent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this validate my JSON?

Yes, parsing JSON inherently validates its syntax - if there's an error, you'll see a specific message describing what's wrong and roughly where.

Does formatting change my data?

No, prettifying and minifying only change whitespace and line breaks - the actual data, key order, and values are preserved exactly.

What's the smallest possible output?

Minify produces JSON with no extra whitespace at all - just commas, colons, brackets, and your actual data - the smallest valid representation.

Is my JSON sent anywhere?

No. All parsing and formatting happens locally in your browser.