JSON Formatter

A minified API payload is one long line. JSON Formatter parses it and prints it with two-space indentation so you can read it.

Pretty print, not a repair

The tool runs JSON.parse, then JSON.stringify with an indent of 2. Key order stays as the parser returned it. There is no “sort keys” switch, no tabs-versus-spaces switch, and no minify button on this screen. A trailing comma, a comment, or a single-quoted string fails the parse. The error is the engine’s message, not a line-by-line linter. JSON Validator only tells you the text parses. JSON Diff compares two documents. XML to JSON is a different input. /blog/json-formatter-vs-validator separates the two jobs. Two spaces is the only indent this screen offers.

package.json and arrays

A package.json file is ordinary JSON. Paste it and you get the same two-space layout. This does not install packages, resolve versions, or warn about a missing script. A JSON array formats the same way as an object. Very large pastes can make the tab slow because the work is local. Strip secrets before you screenshot the result. The text never uploads. Indentation does not change the data. A parser that accepted the minified line will accept the pretty copy.

When the formatter should refuse

If the text is JSON5, a JavaScript object, or a log line with a sentence in front of the brace, fix the input. The formatter will not delete the sentence for you. It will not convert CSV. It will not pretty-print XML. JSON Viewer is for collapsing a tree. After a successful format, copy the output. The original paste is still in the input box until you replace it. Copy from the output box, not from a screenshot. A line that wraps on screen is still one JSON string.