Usage Tips & Best Practices

1. Debugging Malformed JSON

When working with JSON from APIs or configuration files, use the Auto Repair feature first to fix common formatting issues, then use Format/Validate to ensure correctness.

Pro Tip: Copy paste from browser network tab or console output directly into the formatter.

2. Keyboard Shortcuts

Press Ctrl+Enter (or Cmd+Enter on Mac) while in the input area to quickly format your JSON.

Additional Shortcuts:

• Ctrl+A - Select all text
• Ctrl+C - Copy formatted JSON
• Ctrl+V - Paste JSON

3. Working with Large JSON Files

This tool can handle large JSON files efficiently. The textarea automatically resizes, and you can use the browser's built-in search (Ctrl+F) to find specific content.

Performance Tips:

• Break large files into smaller chunks for easier editing
• Use browser search to locate specific keys or values
• Copy only the sections you need to work with

4. API Response Validation

Copy API responses directly into the tool to validate structure and format. This is especially useful for debugging REST API integrations.

Common API Issues:

• Unexpected null values
• Missing required fields
• Incorrect data types
• Nested object structure changes

5. Python Dictionary/List Conversion

You can paste Python print() output directly and use Auto Repair to convert it to valid JSON. This includes handling Python's None, True, False values and dict/list prefixes.

Supported Python Formats:

• {'key': 'value'} - Single quotes
• None → null
• True/False → true/false
• dict: {...} - Remove prefix

6. Configuration File Cleanup

Use this tool to clean up configuration files like package.json, tsconfig.json, or any other JSON-based config files.

Common Config Issues:

• Trailing commas in JSON (not allowed)
• Comments in pure JSON files
• Inconsistent indentation
• Missing quotes around keys

7. Data Migration and Import

When migrating data between systems, validate JSON structure before import to avoid runtime errors.

Migration Checklist:

• Validate all JSON files before import
• Check for required fields
• Verify data types match expectations
• Test with sample data first

8. Security Best Practices

Always validate and sanitize JSON data, especially when it comes from external sources or user input.

Security Tips:

• Never trust user-provided JSON without validation
• Be cautious with deeply nested objects (DoS risk)
• Validate data types and ranges
• Use schema validation in production

9. Version Control with JSON

Format JSON consistently before committing to version control to avoid unnecessary diffs and merge conflicts.

Git Best Practices:

• Use consistent formatting (2 or 4 space indentation)
• Sort keys alphabetically when possible
• Avoid trailing whitespace
• Use .gitattributes for JSON files

10. Testing and Validation

Integrate JSON validation into your development workflow and automated testing pipeline.

Testing Strategies:

• Include JSON validation in unit tests
• Test edge cases (empty objects, arrays)
• Validate against JSON Schema
• Test with malformed data