JSON formatting explained: indentation, sorting and diffing
Why formatting matters even when machines don't care: readability, code review, source control, and reproducible builds.
By JSON Formatter Team
Formatting is for humans
Parsers don't care about whitespace. But you read JSON in code reviews, error logs and configuration files every day. Consistent formatting means fewer bugs and easier diffs.
Indentation
Pick one: 2 spaces or 4 spaces. Tabs are fine internally but many code review tools render them inconsistently. 2 spaces is the most common convention for JSON files in modern codebases.
Sort keys for reproducible builds
Alphabetically sorting object keys makes two JSON files with the same data byte-identical, which is invaluable for content-addressable caches, deterministic builds and stable diffs.
Trailing newlines
End every JSON file with a single newline character. It plays nicely with POSIX tools and git.
Minify only for the wire
Beautify JSON in your repo and in your logs. Minify only at the moment you send it over the network.
More in Guides
What is JSON? A developer's introduction
Understand the JSON data format, its history, and why it dominates modern APIs and configuration files.
ReadUnderstanding JSON objects, arrays and nested data
The two containers JSON gives you — objects and arrays — combine into every real-world payload. Here's how to model them well.
Read