Loading, Please Wait...
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a lightweight data-interchange format widely used in modern computing environments for transmitting structured data between systems. Originally derived from JavaScript, JSON has become language-independent and is now supported across virtually all programming languages. Its simplicity, readability, and efficiency make it a preferred choice for APIs, configuration files, and data storage in web and mobile applications.
Conceptually, JSON represents data as key-value pairs, similar to dictionaries or hash maps in other languages. Each key is a string, and the value can be a string, number, boolean, array, object, or null. Objects are enclosed in curly braces and arrays in square brackets, allowing for nested and hierarchical data structures. This format is both human-readable and machine-parsable, which facilitates debugging and integration across platforms. JSON's strict syntax rules, such as the use of double quotes for keys and string values, contribute to its consistency and reliability in data exchange.
JSON files typically use the ".json" extension and contain plain text encoded in UTF-8. These files are commonly used for configuration settings, data serialization, and communication between client and server in web applications. Due to their minimal overhead and ease of parsing, JSON files are ideal for scenarios requiring fast and efficient data handling. In professional IT environments, JSON is often preferred over XML for its reduced complexity and improved performance, making it a foundational element in contemporary software development and system integration.