JSON Formatting Best Practices

Properly formatted JSON is essential for readability, maintainability, and debugging. Whether you're working with APIs, configuration files, or data storage, following these best practices will help you create clean and efficient JSON structures.

1. Use Consistent Indentation

Consistent indentation makes JSON files easier to read and maintain. The standard practice is to use either 2 or 4 spaces for each level of nesting.

{
  "user": {
    "name": "John Doe",
    "preferences": {
      "theme": "dark",
      "notifications": true
    }
  }
}

2. Choose Meaningful Names

• Use descriptive and meaningful property names
• Follow a consistent naming convention (e.g., camelCase)
• Avoid abbreviations unless they're widely understood
• Keep names concise but clear

3. Handle Arrays Properly

When working with arrays, each item should be on a new line with proper indentation:

{
  "colors": [
    "red",
    "green",
    "blue"
  ],
  "points": [
    {
      "x": 10,
      "y": 20
    },
    {
      "x": 30,
      "y": 40
    }
  ]
}

4. Use Appropriate Data Types

• Strings: Use for text values
• Numbers: Use for numeric values (no quotes)
• Booleans: Use true/false (no quotes)
• null: Use for intentionally empty values
• Arrays: Use for ordered collections
• Objects: Use for key-value pairs

5. Keep It Simple

Avoid unnecessary nesting and complexity. Flatten structures when possible:

// Instead of this:
{
  "user": {
    "details": {
      "personal": {
        "name": "John"
      }
    }
  }
}

// Prefer this:
{
  "userName": "John"
}

6. Include Comments When Necessary

While JSON doesn't support comments natively, you can include them in documentation or as special properties when needed:

{
  "_comment": "Configuration for production environment",
  "apiUrl": "https://api.example.com",
  "timeout": 30000
}

7. Validate Your JSON

Always validate your JSON before using it:

• Check for proper syntax
• Verify all required fields are present
• Ensure data types are correct
• Test with sample data

8. Handle Special Characters

Properly escape special characters in strings:

{
  "message": "Line 1\nLine 2",
  "path": "C:\\Program Files\\App",
  "quote": "He said \"Hello\""
}