What is .json?

.json (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight text format for structured data. It is easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate, making it the dominant format for web APIs, configuration files, and data interchange.

This quick guide explains when to use .json files, how to open them on any device, and how to share them instantly with FileXhost.

When to use .json files

You are designing or consuming REST/GraphQL-style APIs.
You need a simple, language-agnostic format for structured data.
You are storing configuration, settings, or feature flags.
You are exporting/importing data between services, tools, or databases.

How to open .json files

JSON files can be opened in any text editor (VS Code, Sublime Text, Notepad++) or IDE. Most browsers can display JSON directly and pretty-print it with extensions or devtools. You can upload .json files to FileXhost to share them with a clean viewer-friendly URL, making it easy to inspect and collaborate on data.

Algorithm details

JSON is a text-based data format derived from JavaScript object syntax, but it is language-independent. It represents data as key-value pairs (objects), ordered lists (arrays), strings, numbers, booleans, and null. JSON requires strict syntax: double-quoted keys and strings, no trailing commas, and UTF-8 encoding.

Browser & platform support

Desktop: All modern browsers can load and parse JSON, and many devtools offer formatting and inspection.
Mobile: Fully supported via browser APIs and native SDKs for HTTP and JSON parsing.
OS: Universally supported through standard libraries in most programming languages.

Format comparison

Feature	Details
JSON vs XML	JSON is lighter, easier to read, and maps naturally to modern data structures. XML is more verbose but supports attributes, schemas, and mixed content.
JSON vs YAML	YAML is more human-friendly and supports comments, but is more complex to parse safely. JSON is stricter and better suited for machine APIs.
JSON vs CSV	JSON handles nested objects and arrays well; CSV is best for flat tabular data.
Use Case	JSON dominates for APIs, config, and structured logs in modern applications.

How to create json files

Manual Editing: Using code editors with JSON validation and formatting.
APIs: Many web APIs return JSON responses by default.
Export Tools: Databases, analytics tools, and SaaS platforms often export data as JSON.
Serialization: Applications serialize in-memory objects or records to JSON using language libraries.

How to convert json files

FileXhost: Upload JSON to share or preview structured data.
Desktop/CLI: jq, yq, Python (json module), Node.js scripts.
Online Tools: JSON formatters, viewers, and converters (JSON ⇄ CSV, YAML, XML).

Advantages & disadvantages

Advantages

Simple, readable syntax widely understood by developers
First-class support in virtually every modern programming language
Excellent fit for APIs, configs, and structured logs
Works seamlessly with JavaScript and TypeScript on the web

Disadvantages

No comments in standard JSON (workarounds like JSONC or separate config formats are needed)
Not ideal for very large binary data (base64 encoding increases size)
Rigid syntax means small mistakes (like trailing commas) cause parse errors

Tools & software

Editors

VS Code (with JSON tools), WebStorm, Sublime Text, Notepad++

CLI/Debugging

jq, Node.js (node -p), Python (json.tool), httpie, curl + jq

Viewers/Inspectors

Browser devtools, Postman, Insomnia, many online JSON viewers

Frequently asked questions

Is JSON only for JavaScript?

No. JSON was derived from JavaScript, but it is language-agnostic. All major languages (Python, Java, Go, Rust, etc.) include JSON support in their standard libraries or popular packages.

Can I add comments to JSON?

Standard JSON does not allow comments. Some tools support JSONC (JSON with comments) or recommend using separate configuration formats like YAML or TOML when comments are required.

How do I quickly pretty-print JSON?

Use tools like jq (jq . file.json), browser devtools, editor plugins, or `python -m json.tool file.json`. FileXhost can also serve JSON through a URL that you open in your browser and format using extensions.

Is JSON secure?

JSON itself is just data, but you should still validate and sanitize all incoming JSON in your applications. Avoid directly evaluating JSON as code; instead, use proper parsers (JSON.parse in JavaScript, json libraries in other languages).

Technical specs

File type: Code
Extension: .json
MIME type: application/json
Compression: Uncompressed
Max file size on FileXhost: Up to 25 MB per file on the free plan and up to 1 GB on Pro FileXhost accounts.

Upload your .json file to FileXhost to get a clean, shareable URL in seconds. View the file in a modern browser, protect access with optional settings, and let others download it without any confusing ads or cluttered file pages.

Upload .json file