Beautify / Prettify

Beautifying (also called prettifying or formatting) is the process of structuring JSON data with proper indentation and spacing to make it easier for developers to read and debug. Unlike minified JSON, which is compact and machine-efficient, beautified JSON prioritizes human readability.

It’s an essential part of web development workflows, especially when dealing with large API responses or nested objects. Most code editors and online tools offer built-in formatting for this purpose.

Before Beautifying (Minified)

{"user":{"id":1,"name":"Jane Doe","posts":[{"id":101,"title":"First Post"},{"id":102,"title":"Second Post"}]}}

After Beautifying

{
    "user": {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "Jane Doe",
      "posts": [
        {
          "id": 101,
          "title": "First Post"
        },
        {
          "id": 102,
          "title": "Second Post"
        }
      ]
    }
  }

Why Beautify JSON?

• Improves readability: Easy to scan and debug.
• Helps identify structure: Visualizes nested levels clearly.
• Developer collaboration: Cleaner code reviews and documentation.
• Fewer mistakes: Prevents errors from misreading dense JSON blobs.

Tools like JSON Formatter help automate this process with a single click — especially useful for copied API responses or error logs.