JSON Formatter: 5 Ways to Pretty-Print JSON (Online, CLI, VS Code, JavaScript & Python)

If you've ever stared at a wall of minified JSON like this:

{"user":{"id":1,"name":"John","email":"[e-mail]","roles":["admin","editor"],"active":true}}

You know how painful it is to read. Here are 5 ways to format it instantly depending on where you're working.

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1. Online JSON Formatter (fastest, no install)

If you just need to quickly format a JSON response from an API or debug a config file, an online tool is the fastest option.

The important thing is to use one that runs in your browser and doesn't send your data to a server — especially if your JSON contains tokens, user data, or anything sensitive.

👉 ToolsCraft JSON Formatter — formats, validates, and minifies JSON entirely client-side. Nothing leaves your machine.

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2. VS Code (best for files)

VS Code has JSON formatting built in. Open your .json file and press:

• Windows/Linux: Shift + Alt + F
• Mac: Shift + Option + F

Or right-click → Format Document.

To auto-format on save, add this to your settings.json:

{
  "[json]": {
    "editor.formatOnSave": true
  }
}

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3. JavaScript (in your code)

const ugly = '{"name":"John","age":30,"city":"New York"}';
const pretty = JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(ugly), null, 2);
console.log(pretty);

The third argument in JSON.stringify is the indentation level. Use 2 or 4 depending on your preference.

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4. Python (scripts & data processing)

import json

ugly = '{"name":"John","age":30,"city":"New York"}'
parsed = json.loads(ugly)
pretty = json.dumps(parsed, indent=2)
print(pretty)

Or directly from the terminal on any JSON file:

python -m json.tool yourfile.json

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5. Command Line with jq (power users)

# Install
brew install jq  # Mac
apt-get install jq  # Linux

# Format a file
jq . yourfile.json

# Format API response directly
curl https://api.example.com/users | jq .

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Quick comparison

Method	Best for	Install needed
Online tool	Quick debugging, API responses	No
VS Code	Working with JSON files	No
JavaScript	In your app code	No
Python	Scripts, data processing	No
jq	Terminal, pipelines	Yes

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Bonus: Validate while formatting

A good formatter should also validate your JSON and tell you exactly where the error is. If you paste invalid JSON:

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

That trailing comma makes it invalid. A proper formatter should highlight the exact line and character where the error is — not just silently fail.

The ToolsCraft JSON Formatter shows inline error highlighting, which saves a lot of head-scratching.

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That's it! Use the online tool for quick jobs, VS Code for files, and jq if you live in the terminal.

What's your go-to method for formatting JSON? Drop it in the comments 👇