JSON Validator

Validate JSON Instantly — Precise Error Detection

Catch syntax errors with exact line numbers. Free, secure, and fully browser-based.

JSON
Paste JSON or upload a file
Loading editor…

Validation runs entirely in your browser. Your JSON is never sent to any server.

What is a JSON validator?

A JSON validator checks whether a document follows the JSON specification. Even a single misplaced comma or unquoted key will cause parsers to reject the document, leading to silent failures in production APIs.

This validator uses the browser's built-in JSON.parse() and reports the exact line where parsing failed — so you can fix the error in seconds rather than scanning thousands of lines manually.

Common JSON errors and how to fix them

  • Trailing comma{"a":1,} is invalid. Remove the comma after the last item.
  • Single quotes — JSON requires double quotes: {"key":"value"}, not {'key':'value'}.
  • Unquoted keys{key: "value"} is JavaScript syntax, not JSON. Keys must be quoted.
  • Comments — JSON does not support // comments or /* block comments */. Strip them before validating.
  • Missing comma — Each item in an array or object must be followed by a comma, except the last one.

Frequently asked questions

JSON validation checks whether a string conforms to the JSON specification (RFC 8259). A valid JSON document uses double-quoted strings, correct bracket/brace matching, proper comma placement, and no trailing commas or comments.

The most frequent JSON errors are: trailing commas after the last item in an array or object, single-quoted strings instead of double quotes, unquoted property names, missing commas between items, and unescaped special characters inside strings.

An "Unexpected token" error usually means there is a character at a specific position that the JSON parser did not expect — a trailing comma, an unquoted key, a JavaScript comment, or a single-quoted string. Look at the line number shown in the error and check the character immediately before or after that position.

Yes. The validator uses the browser's built-in JSON.parse() function. Your JSON is processed entirely in JavaScript on your device and is never transmitted to any server.

JSON syntax validation checks that a document is well-formed JSON (correct syntax). JSON Schema validation additionally checks that the data matches a defined structure — types, required fields, allowed values. This tool performs syntax validation.

You can paste or upload JSON files up to 5 MB. Very large documents may take a moment as the Monaco editor loads the content. The validator itself is near-instant for any size.

Related Tools

More browser-based utilities you might find useful.