Using the JSON Formatter to Debug API Responses

The Problem

Raw API responses are a single line of minified JSON. Reading them in a terminal or browser DevTools is painful for complex nested structures.

Step 1: Copy the Raw Response

In DevTools → Network tab, right-click a request → Copy → Copy Response. Or copy from your terminal output.

Step 2: Paste Into the Formatter

Open /tools/json-formatter and paste your JSON.

Step 3: Read the Output

The formatter:

• Adds indentation (2 or 4 spaces, your choice)
• Colors keys, strings, numbers, booleans, and nulls differently
• Shows line count and character count
• Highlights the error line if JSON is invalid

Step 4: Validate

If the input is invalid JSON, the tool shows the exact parse error and position:

SyntaxError: Unexpected token } at position 142

Bonus: Minify

Switch to Minify mode to compact JSON for storage or transmission.