JSON Formatter
Paste JSON to validate and format it with readable indentation. The original data values are preserved.
Pretty print or minify JSON
Pretty print adds indentation and line breaks so nested JSON is easier to read. Minify removes unnecessary whitespace to create a compact JSON string. Both actions parse the input first, so invalid JSON is reported instead of being silently changed.
Example JSON input
{"name":"Ayesha","active":true,"profile":{"city":"Lahore","score":98}}When should you format or minify JSON?
Use Pretty print when inspecting API responses, debugging configuration files or reviewing nested objects. Use Minify when a compact JSON string is useful for transmission or storage. Formatting changes whitespace only; it does not change the underlying JSON values.
Frequently asked questions
Does pretty printing change my data?
No. It changes indentation and whitespace while preserving the parsed JSON values.
What does minify do?
Minify removes indentation and unnecessary whitespace to produce compact JSON.
Why does the formatter show an error?
The input must be valid JSON. Check property names, quotation marks, commas and brackets.
Related Free JSON and Data Conversion Tools
Explore these related browser-based utilities to prepare, check, and convert structured data for your workflow.
When to pretty-print or minify JSON
Pretty printing adds indentation and line breaks so nested objects and arrays are easier to inspect, debug and compare. It changes whitespace only; it does not intentionally change the values or the structure of valid JSON.
Minifying removes unnecessary whitespace to produce a compact one-line representation. This can be useful when storing JSON in a compact format or sending it where whitespace is not needed. Minification does not encrypt, validate business rules or remove sensitive information from the data.
Both actions require syntactically valid JSON. If the input cannot be parsed, use the JSON Validator to identify the syntax problem, correct the original data and try again. Keep a readable copy when you are debugging or reviewing complex records.