About JSON Validation
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate. Validating JSON ensures that your data structure is correct and can be properly parsed by applications and APIs.
Common Use Cases
- API Development: Validate JSON responses before sending to clients
- Data Processing: Check JSON data before processing or storing
- Configuration Files: Validate JSON configuration files
- Error Debugging: Identify syntax errors in JSON documents
- Code Reviews: Verify JSON structure in code reviews
Common JSON Errors
- Trailing Commas: JSON doesn't allow trailing commas in objects or arrays
- Unquoted Keys: All object keys must be in double quotes
- Single Quotes: JSON requires double quotes for strings
- Comments: JSON doesn't support comments
- Undefined Values: JSON doesn't support undefined, only null
Best Practices
- Always validate JSON before parsing in production code
- Use try-catch blocks when parsing JSON
- Format JSON for better readability using proper indentation
- Validate JSON structure against schemas when possible
- Use JSON validators during development to catch errors early
