Minified JSON saves bandwidth but is impossible to read. Whether you're debugging API responses or reviewing production data, you need to prettify it first. Learn how to transform compressed JSON into beautifully formatted, readable code instantly.

What is Minified JSON?

Minified (or compressed) JSON removes all unnecessary whitespace, line breaks, and indentation to reduce file size. While great for performance, it's unreadable for humans.

Minified JSON (hard to read):

{"users":[{"id":1,"name":"John Doe","email":"john@example.com","address":{"street":"123 Main St","city":"New York","country":"USA"}},{"id":2,"name":"Jane Smith","email":"jane@example.com","address":{"street":"456 Oak Ave","city":"Los Angeles","country":"USA"}}],"total":2,"timestamp":"2025-11-10T12:00:00Z"}

Prettified JSON (easy to read):

{
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "John Doe",
      "email": "john@example.com",
      "address": {
        "street": "123 Main St",
        "city": "New York",
        "country": "USA"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "Jane Smith",
      "email": "jane@example.com",
      "address": {
        "street": "456 Oak Ave",
        "city": "Los Angeles",
        "country": "USA"
      }
    }
  ],
  "total": 2,
  "timestamp": "2025-11-10T12:00:00Z"
}

Why Prettify JSON?

🔍Debugging - Spot issues and understand data structure at a glance
📖Readability - Make sense of complex API responses
👥Code reviews - Share formatted JSON with team members
📝Documentation - Include readable examples in docs

How to Prettify JSON in 3 Steps

Step 1: Copy Minified JSON

Copy the compressed JSON from your API response, network tab, or log file. It might look like one long line of text.

Step 2: Use JSON Prettifier

Paste it into an online JSON prettifier or formatter. The tool automatically adds proper indentation and line breaks.

Step 3: Copy Formatted Result

Your JSON is now beautifully formatted with syntax highlighting, making it easy to read and understand the structure.

Methods to Prettify JSON

Method 1: Online JSON Prettifier (Easiest)

The fastest way. Just paste and get instant formatting. No installation required.

Pros: Instant, no setup, syntax highlighting, error detection

Best for: Quick formatting, any device, any platform

Method 2: Browser DevTools

Open browser console and use: JSON.stringify(data, null, 2)

Pros: Built-in, no external tools needed

Cons: Requires console access, no syntax highlighting

Method 3: Command Line (jq)

For large files: cat file.json | jq .

Pros: Handles huge files, scriptable

Cons: Requires installation, command-line knowledge

Method 4: Code Editor Extensions

VS Code, Sublime Text have built-in JSON formatting (Alt+Shift+F or Cmd+Shift+F)

Pros: Integrated with workflow, keyboard shortcuts

Best for: Developers working in editors

Formatting Options Explained

Indentation: 2 Spaces vs 4 Spaces

2 Spaces (compact):

{
  "name": "John",
  "age": 30
}

4 Spaces (readable):

{
    "name": "John",
    "age": 30
}

Recommendation: Use 2 spaces for web (standard), 4 spaces for documentation

When to Minify vs Prettify

Situation	Use	Why
Production API responses	Minified	Faster transfer, less bandwidth
Development & debugging	Prettified	Easy to read and understand
Config files in repo	Prettified	Better for version control diffs
Documentation examples	Prettified	Helps readers understand structure
Storage/database	Minified	Saves disk space

Prettify JSON Instantly

Transform minified JSON into beautiful, readable code with syntax highlighting and formatting!

Try JSON Prettifier →

Frequently Asked Questions

Does prettifying change the data?

No! Prettifying only adds whitespace and line breaks. The data structure and values remain identical. Minified and prettified JSON are functionally equivalent.

How much bigger is prettified JSON?

Prettified JSON is typically 15-30% larger due to added whitespace. For a 100KB minified file, expect 115-130KB when prettified. Use gzip compression for transfer to mitigate this.

Can I prettify JSON in Python?

Yes! Use: json.dumps(data, indent=2) to prettify JSON in Python.

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Prettify Minified JSON Code: Make It Readable