Format & Beautify JSON Online
Minified or compactly printed JSON is hard to read and debug. Formatting JSON with consistent indentation transforms a single-line blob like {"name":"Alice","age":30,"address":{"city":"NYC"}} into a clear, hierarchical structure where every level is visually distinct. This is essential when inspecting API responses, reviewing configuration files, debugging data transformations, and reviewing JSON in code review. This tool formats any valid JSON with your choice of 2-space or 4-space indentation, validates the syntax and shows precise error messages for malformed input, and displays the formatted result instantly. It runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server, making it safe for sensitive JSON payloads like authentication tokens, user data, and configuration secrets.
FAQ
- What indentation style should I use?
- 2-space indentation is common in JavaScript/Node.js ecosystems and produces more compact output. 4-space indentation is common in Python and other languages. Both are valid JSON when formatted.
- Does this validate JSON while formatting?
- Yes. The formatter parses your JSON before formatting it. If there are syntax errors, you get a precise error message showing what went wrong and approximately where.
- Is my JSON data sent to a server?
- No. The JSON formatter runs entirely in your browser using the native JSON.parse() and JSON.stringify() functions. Nothing is uploaded, stored, or logged.