At One Place

.json files

.json file
JavaScript Object Notation
The standard text format for structured data on the web and in config files.

What opens a .json file

Windows
Visual Studio Code, Notepad (built in), Any web browser
macOS
Visual Studio Code, TextEdit (built in), Any web browser
Linux
Visual Studio Code, Text Editor (built in), jq (command line)
In a browser
Any web browser, JSON Formatter

What a .json file is

JSON is a lightweight, human-readable way of writing nested data as objects and arrays, standardised as RFC 8259. Almost every web API speaks it and most modern applications store settings in it. It is strict about syntax — no trailing commas, no comments — which is why a config file that looks fine is often rejected over one stray character.

Converting it

A .json file is commonly converted to .csv, .xml, .yaml, .xlsx or .txt. It is a plain text format, so any text editor can open and edit it directly.

Details

Extension
.json
Full name
JavaScript Object Notation
Category
Data
MIME type
application/json
Created by
Douglas Crockford / IETF
Format
Plain text

Common questions

How do I open a .json file?
On Windows use Visual Studio Code; on macOS use Visual Studio Code; on Linux use Visual Studio Code. The standard text format for structured data on the web and in config files.
What is a .json file?
JavaScript Object Notation. JSON is a lightweight, human-readable way of writing nested data as objects and arrays, standardised as RFC 8259. Almost every web API speaks it and most modern applications store settings in it.
Can I convert a .json file?
Yes. It is usually converted to .csv, .xml, .yaml, .xlsx or .txt, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Media Types Registry — IANA
  2. Official vendor product documentation — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked