When working with large or nested JSON files, you often end up with bloated data structures that take up unnecessary space. TOON short for Token-Oriented Object Notation provides a lightweight, tokenized alternative that’s faster to parse and easier to transmit.
That’s why we built the JSON TOON Converter at Scalevise: a free online tool that turns any JSON input into valid TOON syntax in seconds.
What is TOON?
TOON is a compact data format designed to reduce JSON overhead by 40-60% without sacrificing structure or readability.
Instead of traditional JSON braces and key-value pairs, TOON represents data using a tokenized notation:
{
"customer": {
"name": "Alice",
"order_id": 5829,
"items": ["notebook", "pen", "charger"],
"total_price": 79.50
}
}
Becomes:
@c{name:"Alice",oid:5829,it:["notebook","pen","charger"],tp:79.5}
This means less text to process, faster serialization, and cleaner logs — perfect for API payloads, automation scripts, and embedded systems.
Why Developers Are Switching to TOON
Unlike many new serialization formats, TOON keeps the simplicity of JSON while cutting down on syntactic noise. It’s especially valuable when you’re:
- Sending structured data between microservices or agents.
- Storing large logs or user payloads where size matters.
- Optimizing workflows in automation platforms such as Make.com or n8n.
- Embedding data in AI prompt systems where token limits are tight.
In other words: TOON is a developer-friendly evolution of JSON — lighter, faster, and easier to parse.
Convert JSON to TOON in Seconds
The Scalevise JSON to TOON Converter is built for developers who want speed and accuracy without installing packages.
Simply paste your JSON into the editor, click Convert, and your data will instantly appear in valid TOON format.
No registration, no tracking, no API key required — just clean data transformation.
The converter supports:
- Inline formatting
- Nested objects and arrays
- Automatic validation
- Copy-to-clipboard and local caching
Real-World Example
Let’s say you’re working on a workflow that sends automation logs from Make.com.
Instead of shipping full JSON payloads, you can compress them to TOON to save tokens and improve performance.
JSON:
{
"workflow": "CRM Sync",
"status": "completed",
"steps": ["fetchData", "updateContact", "notifyTeam"]
}
TOON:
@w{wk:"CRM Sync",st:"completed",sp:["fetchData","updateContact","notifyTeam"]}
That’s a 50% reduction in characters, and the structure remains entirely readable.
How It Works Under the Hood
The Scalevise converter is built in Vue 3 with a simple @toon-format/toon integration.
It validates JSON, prevents redundant conversions, and saves your last input/output in local storage for fast reuse.
The entire app runs client-side — meaning your data never leaves your browser.
Start Converting Today
Ready to compress your JSON into elegant TOON?
Try the live converter now and see how much cleaner your data can look.
Top comments (6)
This is genuinely useful. The converter UI feels super clean. Nice work!
Thank you!
How much compression does TOON actually achieve compared to minified JSON in production?
In our tests, TOON reduces payload size by roughly 40–60% on complex nested objects. The exact ratio depends on key repetition and array depth. For workflows or logs with high key redundancy, the savings can be even higher.
Wow, I didn’t know TOON existed. Is it actually compatible with standard JSON parsers, or does it require a custom implementation?
TOON isn’t directly readable by JSON parsers since it drops some of JSON’s structural syntax. You’ll need a parser like @toon-format/toon, which we’ve used in our converter. It’s lightweight and written in TypeScript, so you can integrate it easily into Node or browser projects.