What a formatter does
A JSON formatter changes spacing, indentation, and line breaks so the structure is easier to read. It should not change object keys, values, arrays, or data meaning.
What a validator does
A JSON validator checks whether the text follows JSON syntax rules. It can catch missing quotes, trailing commas, mismatched brackets, and invalid escapes before the payload is used in an API request or configuration file.
Common mistakes
Valid JSON is not automatically correct for your API. It may still have the wrong fields, wrong types, missing business rules, or unsafe values. Review formatted output before using it in production systems.
FAQ
Does formatting validate JSON?
Many tools validate before formatting, but the tasks are different. A formatter improves readability; a validator checks syntax.
Should I paste secrets into JSON tools?
No. Redact tokens, private keys, credentials, and confidential data before using any online workspace.