Tool reference

JSON Formatter

beta

Validate, format, minify, or sort raw JSON and get parser feedback immediately while the tool keeps track of key count, nesting depth, and payload size.

Open tool Back to docs

Quickstart

Use this when you want the shortest path from input to a useful result.

Paste a JSON payload into the input editor.

Choose Format, Minify, or Sort Keys from the toolbar.

If the payload is valid, copy or download the output. If it is invalid, fix the parser error shown above the editors.

Best for

Common situations where this tool fits naturally into the workflow.

Clean API payloads before pasting them into tickets, PR comments, or docs.

Normalize object ordering before comparing two responses in Git diffs.

Check whether a payload is valid JSON without switching to a separate validator.

Common tasks

Concrete ways this tool is typically used in day-to-day workflows.

Format a response payload for review

Use Format mode with 2 or 4 spaces when you need readable output for code review, support tickets, or documentation.

Compress JSON for transport

Use Minify mode to collapse whitespace before storing JSON in an env var, query parameter, or fixture snapshot.

Make object diffs deterministic

Use Sort Keys when field order changes between systems and you want a cleaner before/after comparison.

Examples

Real inputs and outputs that show how the tool behaves.

Format nested JSON

Format mode parses the input and rewrites it with consistent indentation.

Input

{"service":"devforge","meta":{"active":true,"version":"2.4.0"}}

Formatted output

{
  "service": "devforge",
  "meta": {
    "active": true,
    "version": "2.4.0"
  }
}

Sort keys recursively

Sort Keys keeps array order but alphabetizes object keys at every nesting level.

Input

{
  "meta": {
    "version": "2.4.0",
    "active": true
  },
  "service": "devforge"
}

Sorted output

{
  "meta": {
    "active": true,
    "version": "2.4.0"
  },
  "service": "devforge"
}

Handle invalid JSON

If parsing fails, the output stays empty and the tool shows the native JSON parser message.

Input

{
  "service": "devforge",
}

Error

Expected double-quoted property name in JSON at position ...

Features

What this tool includes and what each capability is for.

Format Mode

Parses the current input and rewrites it with consistent indentation so nested objects and arrays are easy to inspect.

Minify Mode

Removes all unnecessary whitespace and returns a single-line JSON string when the payload is valid.

Sort Keys

Recursively sorts object keys while preserving array order, which is useful for deterministic diffs.

Real-time Validation

Runs the JSON parser after a short debounce and surfaces the native parse error message when the payload is invalid.

Reader Mode

Shows the generated output in the shared reader surface with theme and brightness controls for longer review sessions.

Copy and Save

Copies the generated output to the clipboard or downloads it as `devforge-output.json`.

Workflow

Follow this path to get from input to output quickly.

Paste or type JSON into the left editor.

Pick Format, Minify, or Sort Keys.

Adjust indentation when you are using Format or Sort Keys.

Review validation state, key count, depth, and size in the toolbar.

Copy or save the generated output once it looks correct.

Caveats and tips

Things to keep in mind before relying on the output in a larger workflow.

Caveats

The tool only accepts valid JSON. JavaScript object literals with trailing commas, comments, or single quotes will fail.
Sort Keys only reorders object keys. Array element order is preserved.
Statistics such as key count and nesting depth are only available when the current payload parses successfully.

Tips

Use Sort Keys before comparing two payloads from different services to remove noise caused by key ordering.
Use Reader Mode when the formatted output is long and you want to inspect it without the editing chrome.
If you only need a compact payload for transport or storage, Minify is faster to verify than exporting and post-processing elsewhere.

Tool reference

JSON Formatter

beta

Validate, format, minify, or sort raw JSON and get parser feedback immediately while the tool keeps track of key count, nesting depth, and payload size.

Open tool Back to docs

Quickstart

Use this when you want the shortest path from input to a useful result.

Paste a JSON payload into the input editor.

Choose Format, Minify, or Sort Keys from the toolbar.

If the payload is valid, copy or download the output. If it is invalid, fix the parser error shown above the editors.

Best for

Common situations where this tool fits naturally into the workflow.

Clean API payloads before pasting them into tickets, PR comments, or docs.

Normalize object ordering before comparing two responses in Git diffs.

Check whether a payload is valid JSON without switching to a separate validator.

Common tasks

Concrete ways this tool is typically used in day-to-day workflows.

Format a response payload for review

Use Format mode with 2 or 4 spaces when you need readable output for code review, support tickets, or documentation.

Compress JSON for transport

Use Minify mode to collapse whitespace before storing JSON in an env var, query parameter, or fixture snapshot.

Make object diffs deterministic

Use Sort Keys when field order changes between systems and you want a cleaner before/after comparison.

Examples

Real inputs and outputs that show how the tool behaves.

Format nested JSON

Format mode parses the input and rewrites it with consistent indentation.

Input

{"service":"devforge","meta":{"active":true,"version":"2.4.0"}}

Formatted output

{
  "service": "devforge",
  "meta": {
    "active": true,
    "version": "2.4.0"
  }
}

Sort keys recursively

Sort Keys keeps array order but alphabetizes object keys at every nesting level.

Input

{
  "meta": {
    "version": "2.4.0",
    "active": true
  },
  "service": "devforge"
}

Sorted output

{
  "meta": {
    "active": true,
    "version": "2.4.0"
  },
  "service": "devforge"
}

Handle invalid JSON

If parsing fails, the output stays empty and the tool shows the native JSON parser message.

Input

{
  "service": "devforge",
}

Error

Expected double-quoted property name in JSON at position ...

Features

What this tool includes and what each capability is for.

Format Mode

Parses the current input and rewrites it with consistent indentation so nested objects and arrays are easy to inspect.

Minify Mode

Removes all unnecessary whitespace and returns a single-line JSON string when the payload is valid.

Sort Keys

Recursively sorts object keys while preserving array order, which is useful for deterministic diffs.

Real-time Validation

Runs the JSON parser after a short debounce and surfaces the native parse error message when the payload is invalid.

Reader Mode

Shows the generated output in the shared reader surface with theme and brightness controls for longer review sessions.

Copy and Save

Copies the generated output to the clipboard or downloads it as `devforge-output.json`.

Workflow

Follow this path to get from input to output quickly.

Paste or type JSON into the left editor.

Pick Format, Minify, or Sort Keys.

Adjust indentation when you are using Format or Sort Keys.

Review validation state, key count, depth, and size in the toolbar.

Copy or save the generated output once it looks correct.

Caveats and tips

Things to keep in mind before relying on the output in a larger workflow.

Caveats

The tool only accepts valid JSON. JavaScript object literals with trailing commas, comments, or single quotes will fail.
Sort Keys only reorders object keys. Array element order is preserved.
Statistics such as key count and nesting depth are only available when the current payload parses successfully.

Tips

Use Sort Keys before comparing two payloads from different services to remove noise caused by key ordering.
Use Reader Mode when the formatted output is long and you want to inspect it without the editing chrome.
If you only need a compact payload for transport or storage, Minify is faster to verify than exporting and post-processing elsewhere.