How to prettify compact json for debugging
- Step 1Copy the compact JSON — Copy the minified API response, the logged JSON string from the console, or the inline JSON from a code review. It can be on a single line or poorly indented.
- Step 2Paste and prettify — Paste the JSON and click Prettify. The output is consistently indented with a configurable indent size (2 spaces by default, 4 spaces for readability in wide terminals).
- Step 3Use sorted keys for comparison — Enable key sorting when comparing two API responses — sorted output lets you diff the structures visually even if the serialization order differs between calls.
- Step 4Copy the prettified output for documentation — Paste the prettified JSON into a Markdown code block, a Postman documentation example, or a GitHub issue comment where readable JSON is expected.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between JSON prettify and JSON format?+
Prettify and format are the same operation: adding whitespace and indentation to make JSON human-readable. Some tools also perform normalization (sorting keys, removing duplicates) as part of formatting. This tool separates them: prettify handles whitespace and indentation, while key sorting is an optional separate step.
How do I prettify JSON in the terminal without this tool?+
Use jq: echo '{"a":1}' | jq '.'. For a file: jq '.' input.json. Python also works: python3 -m json.tool input.json. Node.js: node -e "process.stdin | d => console.log(JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(d), null, 2))".
Is the JSON payload transmitted to JAD Apps?+
No. Formatting runs entirely in your browser. JSON payloads including API responses and debug data are never transmitted to JAD Apps servers.
Privacy first
Conversion runs locally in your browser. No file is uploaded — only metadata counters are saved for signed-in dashboard stats.