🧩 What Is JSON?

JSON (pronounced "Jason") stands for JavaScript Object Notation. It's a lightweight, human-readable format used to represent structured data. Originally derived from JavaScript, JSON has evolved into a language-independent, widely adopted standard for data interchange between systems — such as web servers, APIs, and applications.

Thanks to its simple syntax and resemblance to readable text, JSON is easy to read, write, and parse, making it a go-to format for most modern applications that exchange data.

💡 Why Use JSON?

• Language Agnostic: Supported by virtually every major language including Python, Java, Go, Ruby, etc.
• Readable: Easy for humans to understand, especially compared to XML.
• Lightweight: Minimal syntax makes JSON compact and efficient.
• Easily Parsable: Most languages offer built-in JSON parsing.
• Well-Supported: JSON has a rich ecosystem of tools and libraries.

🧱 Proper JSON Format Rules

• Data is represented as "key": value pairs
• Pairs are comma-separated
• Objects use curly braces: {}
• Arrays use square brackets: []
• Keys and string values must be in double quotes
• Boolean values use lowercase: true, false
• null represents empty or missing values
• Special characters in strings must be escaped using \
• Trailing commas are not allowed
• Dates and complex types should be converted to strings
• File extension: .json; MIME type: application/json

🛠️ Use Cases

• REST APIs: JSON is the de facto standard for web APIs.
• Configuration Files: Used in tools like package.json.
• Data Storage: Widely used in NoSQL databases like MongoDB.
• Data Transfer: Ideal for frontend–backend communication.