Forms & data
What is JSON?
JSON, short for JavaScript Object Notation, is a text format for exchanging structured data, such as a saved form plan, an application response or a collection of product details.
By Plainview WebReviewed
The meaning
JSON can represent objects with named properties, ordered arrays, strings, numbers, true or false, and null. Those pieces can be nested, so one record can contain both a list and a set of related details. Its name reflects its origins, but many programming languages read and write JSON.
The punctuation has a defined meaning. Property names and strings use double quotes, and commas separate entries. Standard JSON does not permit comments or trailing commas. A formatter changes indentation and spacing to make the structure readable; syntax validation checks whether the text follows the format’s rules.
An example
A fictional product record
{
"item_id": "0042",
"quantity": 12,
"available": true,
"tags": ["notebook", "blue"]
}The item identifier is a string so its leading zeros remain part of the value. Quantity is a number, available is a boolean, and tags is an array of strings. Those choices are part of the data design: the receiving application needs to expect the same property names and types.
When it matters
JSON gives applications a way to exchange more structure than a simple table provides. You may encounter it when downloading a reusable plan, connecting website systems or asking a developer to inspect an import. Understanding the basic shape helps you describe what information belongs together.
Plainview’s JSON Formatter & Validator can show syntax errors and compatibility warnings while preserving original number spellings and string escapes. Keep an unchanged source when investigating a problem. A valid file may still have missing properties, the wrong types for its destination or numbers that the receiving application cannot represent accurately.
A common confusion
Valid JSON is not executable code or proof of correct data
JSON describes values; it does not define functions or run instructions on its own. An application decides what to do with those values. Syntax validation does not verify their truth, authorize actions or check a destination’s business rules. The receiving system still needs its own validation, including any required schema.