Validate JSON
Use the tool immediately, then come back to the guide for troubleshooting notes.
Your input is sent to the server for this request and is not saved as a tool content record. Infrastructure logs may still record request metadata, so do not submit secrets.
How to Fix Common JSON Parse Errors
Most JSON parse errors come from single quotes, missing or trailing commas, unquoted property names, or unmatched brackets. Start with the parser's line and column, correct one syntax problem at a time, and validate again.
Read the first error before changing the document
JSON parsers read from the beginning and usually report the first point where the grammar becomes impossible. Fix that first error and validate again; later messages can be side effects of the same missing quote, comma, bracket, or brace.
The line and column are a starting point, not a guarantee that the incorrect character is exactly there. For example, a missing comma at the end of one property can cause the parser to complain when it reaches the next property name.
- Paste the complete document into JSON Validator and select Validate JSON.
- Go to the reported line and column, then inspect that character and the token immediately before it.
- Make one small syntax correction instead of rewriting the surrounding data.
- Validate again until the result is Valid JSON, then use JSON Formatter for a readable review copy.
Reproduce a trailing-comma error and correct it
The first sample is invalid because the final array item and final object member are followed by commas. Standard JSON does not permit either trailing comma. The corrected sample keeps the same data and removes only those two characters.
{
"name": "ScriptZip",
"enabled": true,
"tags": ["json", "debug",],
}The validator reports the first trailing comma it encounters. Remove it, validate again, and then fix the second one.
{
"name": "ScriptZip",
"enabled": true,
"tags": ["json", "debug"]
}This version parses successfully and can be formatted without changing its values.
Four common JSON syntax mistakes
Single quotes
JSON strings and property names require double quotes. Change {'name': 'Ada'} to {"name": "Ada"}; do not run a blind replacement if apostrophes appear inside string values.
Missing commas
Members of an object and items in an array need commas between them. Inspect the value immediately before the line named in the error.
Unquoted property names
JavaScript object literals can use bare identifiers, but JSON cannot. Change {active: true} to {"active": true}.
Unmatched brackets or braces
Arrays close with ] and objects close with }. Indent the surrounding structure and match each opening character with the correct closing character.
Choose validation or formatting for the actual task
Validation and formatting both parse JSON, but they answer different questions. Start with validation when the document fails in an API, build, or import. Format only after the syntax is valid and you need a readable view.
| Task | Use | What the result means |
|---|---|---|
| Find a syntax error | JSON Validator | Reports valid or invalid syntax and gives the parser's line and column. |
| Make valid JSON readable | JSON Formatter | Regenerates whitespace and indentation; optional key sorting can change object-key order. |
| Check required fields or value rules | A JSON Schema or application test | ScriptZip's validator does not apply a schema or business rules. |
Never paste access tokens, passwords, customer records, or production secrets into an online debugging tool unless the data has been safely redacted.
What a valid result does not prove
Valid JSON can still be wrong for the receiving system. A parser accepts a top-level string, number, boolean, null, array, or object, while an API may require a particular object shape. It also cannot tell whether an identifier exists, a date is meaningful, or the current user has permission to perform an action.
After the syntax passes, compare the result with the API contract or configuration documentation. If the document is hard to inspect, open JSON Formatter and preserve the unsorted key order unless your review process explicitly prefers sorted keys.
Related tools
Read the Base64 and Base64URL guide
Compare Base64 and Base64URL alphabets, padding, and valid UTF-8 examples.
Format the corrected JSON for review
Format and beautify JSON with clean indentation for easier reading, debugging, and sharing.
JSON to CSV
Convert JSON arrays or structured data into CSV output for spreadsheets and reports.
JSON Validator
Check JSON syntax and find common structure errors before using data in apps or APIs.