Question 1

Is my JSON data sent to your servers?

Accepted Answer

No. The JSON Formatter processes everything client-side in your browser using native JavaScript JSON.parse() and JSON.stringify(). Your data never leaves your device, ensuring complete privacy. We do not store, log, or transmit your JSON content anywhere.

Question 2

What's the maximum JSON size I can format?

Accepted Answer

The tool supports JSON input up to 1MB (approximately 1 million characters). For larger files, you may experience slower processing. If you regularly work with very large JSON files, consider using a desktop code editor like VS Code which can handle larger files more efficiently.

Question 3

What's the difference between Format and Minify?

Accepted Answer

Format (also called "beautify" or "pretty print") adds indentation and line breaks to make JSON human-readable. Minify does the opposite—it removes all unnecessary whitespace to produce the smallest possible JSON, which is useful for reducing file size before deployment or API transmission.

Question 4

Why does my JSON show as invalid?

Accepted Answer

Common causes include: trailing commas (e.g., {"a":1,}), single quotes instead of double quotes, missing quotes around keys, unquoted string values, unescaped special characters, or missing closing brackets. The error message will show the exact line and column where the issue occurs.

Question 5

Can I use this tool to validate JSON configuration files?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The JSON Formatter works great for validating package.json, tsconfig.json, .eslintrc.json, and any other JSON configuration files. Just paste the content and click Validate to instantly check for syntax errors with line and column numbers.

Question 6

Does this tool support JSON with comments (JSONC)?

Accepted Answer

No, standard JSON does not allow comments. If your JSON contains comments (common in VS Code configurations like tsconfig.json), they will be flagged as syntax errors. We may add JSONC support in a future version. For now, remove comments before validating.

Question 7

What indentation options are available?

Accepted Answer

The JSON Formatter supports three indentation styles: 2 spaces (default, common in JavaScript), 4 spaces (common in Python and other languages), and Tab characters. You can switch between them using the indentation selector when using the Format operation.