Different jobs, complementary tools
The JSON Formatter and JSON Validator solve different problems. The formatter assumes your JSON is already valid and focuses on readability — adding indentation, line breaks, and optional minification. The validator checks whether your text is valid JSON at all and reports syntax errors with line and column numbers.
If you are unsure whether your input is valid, run the validator first. Once syntax is confirmed, switch to the formatter for pretty-printing or minification.
When to use the JSON Formatter
Use the formatter when copying minified API responses from DevTools, cleaning up config files for code review, or preparing JSON samples for documentation. It supports 2-space, 4-space, and tab indentation plus one-click minify for compact payloads.
When to use the JSON Validator
Use the validator when a parse error blocks your workflow — truncated log lines, hand-edited config files, or API responses with trailing commas. The validator tells you exactly where the syntax breaks so you can fix it without trial and error.
Recommended workflow
Paste raw JSON into the validator. Fix any reported errors. Copy the corrected output into the formatter for readable indentation. This two-step flow is faster than guessing at syntax problems in a large document.