JSON Tree Viewer

Visualize and explore complex JSON data with an interactive, expandable tree structure.

Overview

JSON Tree Viewer transforms flat JSON text into a beautiful, interactive tree visualization. Navigate through nested objects and arrays, search for specific keys or values, and understand your data structure at a glance. Perfect for debugging APIs, exploring configuration files, and analyzing complex JSON data.

Features

🌲 Interactive Tree Structure

Visual hierarchy of JSON data
Expandable/collapsible nodes
Color-coded by data type
Hover to see metadata
Intuitive navigation

🔍 Powerful Search

Search by key names
Search by values
Real-time filtering
Highlight matches
Show parent context

🎨 Color-Coded Types

Green - String values
Orange - Numbers
Purple - Booleans
Blue - Object keys
Gray - Null values

⚡ Performance

Handles large JSON files
Instant visualization
Smooth expand/collapse
Real-time validation
No lag or freezing

📋 Quick Actions

Copy entire JSON
Copy individual nodes
Format JSON automatically
Expand all nodes
Collapse all nodes

✅ Validation

Real-time syntax checking
Detailed error messages
Automatic format fixing
Visual error indicators
Helpful suggestions

How to Use

Basic Usage

Paste JSON into the left textarea
Tree appears automatically in the right panel
Click arrows to expand/collapse nodes
Hover over nodes to see data types
Use search to find specific content

Example:

{
  "user": {
    "name": "John Doe",
    "age": 30,
    "active": true
  }
}

Expanding & Collapsing

Individual Nodes:

Click ▶ (right arrow) to expand
Click ▼ (down arrow) to collapse
Reveals nested content

All Nodes:

Click Expand All to open entire tree
Click Collapse All to close everything
Useful for large JSON files

Searching

Type in the search box at the top of the tree
Matches are highlighted in yellow
Parent nodes shown if children match
Case-insensitive search

Search by Key:

Search: "name" → Finds all "name" keys

Search by Value:

Search: "John" → Finds all values containing "John"

Clear Search:

Delete text in search box
Full tree reappears

Copying Values

Copy Entire JSON:

Click Copy button above input
Entire JSON copied to clipboard

Copy Individual Node:

Hover over any node in the tree
Click copy icon that appears
Node value copied as formatted JSON

Formatting JSON

Paste unformatted/minified JSON
Click Format button
JSON auto-formatted with proper indentation
Tree updates automatically

Use Cases

1. API Response Analysis

// API returns complex nested data
{
  "data": {
    "users": [
      {
        "id": 1,
        "profile": {
          "name": "John",
          "settings": {
            "theme": "dark",
            "notifications": true
          }
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "meta": {
    "page": 1,
    "total": 100
  }
}

// Tree view makes structure clear:
▼ root
  ▼ data
    ▼ users
      ▼ [0]
        id: 1
        ▼ profile
          name: "John"
          ▼ settings
            theme: "dark"
            notifications: true
  ▼ meta
    page: 1
    total: 100

// Benefit: Instantly understand deep nesting

2. Configuration File Exploration

// Complex app configuration
{
  "database": {
    "host": "localhost",
    "port": 5432,
    "credentials": {
      "user": "admin",
      "password": "******"
    }
  },
  "cache": {
    "redis": {
      "host": "cache.example.com",
      "ttl": 3600
    }
  },
  "features": {
    "auth": true,
    "payments": false
  }
}

// Use tree to:
// - Navigate sections quickly
// - Find specific settings
// - Verify structure
// - Copy values easily

3. Debugging Nested Data

// Bug: Can't find where error data is nested
{
  "response": {
    "status": "error",
    "details": {
      "code": 400,
      "errors": [
        {
          "field": "email",
          "message": "Invalid format"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

// Search "email" in tree view:
// → Instantly jumps to errors[0].field
// → Shows full path: root.response.details.errors[0].field
// → Can copy error object directly

4. Large JSON File Navigation

// 500 line JSON file with many sections
{
  "section1": { /* 50 lines */ },
  "section2": { /* 100 lines */ },
  "section3": { /* 150 lines */ },
  "section4": { /* 200 lines */ }
}

// Tree view benefits:
// - Collapse all sections initially
// - Expand only what you need
// - Search finds content instantly
// - No scrolling through hundreds of lines

5. Data Structure Documentation

// Showing team how API response is structured
{
  "user": {
    "id": "string",
    "name": "string",
    "email": "string",
    "roles": ["array", "of", "strings"],
    "metadata": {
      "created": "ISO date string",
      "updated": "ISO date string"
    }
  }
}

// Share screenshot of tree view
// Shows hierarchy clearly
// Color coding shows data types
// Easy to understand at a glance

6. Comparing JSON Structures

// API version 1 vs version 2
// Paste each version, expand both
// Visually compare structure differences
// Find added/removed/changed fields
// Understand migration impact

Tree Structure Explained

Node Display Format

Each node shows:

[▶/▼] "key": value [type]

Components:

▶/▼ - Expand/collapse indicator (only for objects/arrays)
"key" - Property name in blue
: - Separator
value - Actual value (color-coded by type)
[type] - Data type (appears on hover)

Node Types

Type	Display	Color	Example
String	`"value"`	Green	`"John Doe"`
Number	`123`	Orange	`30`, `3.14`
Boolean	`true`/`false`	Purple	`true`
Null	`null`	Gray	`null`
Object	`Object(n)`	Gray	`Object(3)`
Array	`Array(n)`	Gray	`Array(5)`

Note: (n) indicates the number of properties or items

Path Structure

Each node has a path showing its location:

root → Main JSON object
root.user → "user" property
root.user.name → "name" inside "user"
root.items[0] → First item in "items" array
root.items[0].id → "id" of first item

Advanced Features

Search Behavior

Inclusive Parent Showing:

If child matches, parent is shown
Helps maintain context
Click parent to see full subtree

Match Highlighting:

Yellow background on matching nodes
Makes results easy to spot
Updates as you type

Multi-word Search:

Searches for complete phrase
Not split into separate words
Use specific terms for best results

Copy Node Feature

What Gets Copied:

For primitives: The exact value
For objects: Formatted JSON of entire object
For arrays: Formatted JSON of entire array

Example:

// Node: user object
{
  "name": "John",
  "age": 30
}

// Click copy on "user" node
// Clipboard contains:
{
  "name": "John",
  "age": 30
}

Format Feature

What It Does:

Validates JSON syntax
Adds proper indentation (2 spaces)
Fixes common formatting issues
Updates tree view

Before:

{"name":"John","age":30,"email":"john@example.com"}

After:

{
  "name": "John",
  "age": 30,
  "email": "john@example.com"
}

Technical Details

Data Processing

Parse - JSON string converted to JavaScript object
Traverse - Recursive tree traversal
Build - Flat array of nodes with metadata
Render - React components for each node
Update - Real-time as you type

Performance Optimization

JSON Size	Nodes	Performance
< 1 KB	< 100	Instant
1-10 KB	100-1K	< 100ms
10-100 KB	1K-10K	< 500ms
100KB-1MB	10K-100K	1-3s
> 1 MB	> 100K	May lag

Tips for Large Files:

Keep nodes collapsed initially
Use search to navigate
Format before pasting
Consider splitting very large files

Supported JSON Features

✅ Fully Supported:

Objects {}
Arrays []
Strings "text"
Numbers 123, 3.14
Booleans true, false
Null values null
Nested structures (unlimited depth)
Unicode characters
Escaped characters \n, \t, etc.
Large numbers
Empty objects/arrays

❌ Not Supported:

Comments (not valid JSON)
Trailing commas
Single quotes (use double quotes)
Undefined values
Functions
Regular expressions

Troubleshooting

"Invalid JSON" Error

Problem: Error message appears, tree not shown

Solutions:

Check Quotes - Use double quotes ", not single '
Remove Trailing Commas - Last item shouldn't have comma
Balance Brackets - Every { needs }, [ needs ]
Escape Special Characters - Use \n, \t, \", etc.
Use Format Button - Attempts auto-fix

Common Issues:

// ❌ Wrong
{
  'name': 'John',  // Single quotes
  'age': 30,       // Trailing comma
}

// ✅ Correct
{
  "name": "John",
  "age": 30
}

Tree Not Showing

Problem: Valid JSON but no tree appears

Solutions:

Refresh the page
Clear and re-paste JSON
Check browser console for errors
Try smaller JSON first

Search Not Finding Results

Problem: Know content exists but search returns nothing

Solutions:

Check spelling
Search is case-insensitive but exact match
Try partial search terms
Remove extra spaces
Expand all to see if result is hidden

Copy Not Working

Problem: Copy button doesn't work

Solutions:

Check browser permissions for clipboard access
Try different browser
Manually select and copy text
Use Ctrl+C / Cmd+C instead

Slow Performance

Problem: Tree lags or freezes with large JSON

Solutions:

Use Collapse All to improve performance
Navigate with search instead of expanding everything
Format before pasting to reduce parsing time
Split large JSON into smaller chunks
Use desktop browser instead of mobile

Keyboard Shortcuts

Currently not implemented, but consider:

Ctrl/Cmd + F - Focus search
Ctrl/Cmd + E - Expand all
Ctrl/Cmd + C - Copy JSON
Escape - Clear search

Color Scheme

Light Mode

Strings: #16a34a (Green 600)
Numbers: #ea580c (Orange 600)
Booleans: #9333ea (Purple 600)
Keys: #2563eb (Blue 600)
Background: White with light borders

Dark Mode

Strings: #4ade80 (Green 400)
Numbers: #fb923c (Orange 400)
Booleans: #c084fc (Purple 400)
Keys: #60a5fa (Blue 400)
Background: Dark gray with muted borders

Privacy & Security

✅ Completely Private

All processing in your browser
No server uploads
No network requests
No data logging
Works offline

✅ Safe for Sensitive Data

View API keys safely
Explore credentials securely
Debug production data
No external access

✅ No Storage

No localStorage
No cookies
No session storage
Data cleared on page close
Completely ephemeral

Comparison with Alternatives

Feature	Tree Viewer	Text Editor	JSON Formatter
Visual Structure	✅ Tree hierarchy	❌ Flat text	❌ Flat text
Navigate Deep Nesting	✅ Click to expand	❌ Scroll/search	❌ Scroll/search
Search	✅ + hierarchy	✅ Text only	✅ Text only
Copy Parts	✅ Any node	⚠️ Manual select	⚠️ Manual select
Large Files	⚠️ Use collapsed	✅ Better	✅ Better
Edit JSON	❌ View only	✅ Full edit	✅ Full edit
Understand Structure	✅ Visual	❌ Mental parse	⚠️ Some

When to Use Tree Viewer:

Exploring unfamiliar JSON
Deep nesting (3+ levels)
Finding specific values
Understanding structure
Presenting to others

When to Use Alternatives:

Editing JSON
Very large files (> 1MB)
Need to modify structure
Comparing differences

Real-World Examples

Example 1: GitHub API Response

{
  "name": "awesome-repo",
  "owner": {
    "login": "username",
    "id": 12345,
    "avatar_url": "https://...",
    "type": "User"
  },
  "description": "An awesome repository",
  "fork": false,
  "created_at": "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-11-26T10:00:00Z",
  "stargazers_count": 1000,
  "watchers_count": 50,
  "language": "TypeScript",
  "forks_count": 100,
  "open_issues_count": 5,
  "license": {
    "key": "mit",
    "name": "MIT License",
    "url": "https://..."
  }
}

// Tree view shows:
▼ root
  name: "awesome-repo"
  ▼ owner
    login: "username"
    id: 12345
    avatar_url: "https://..."
    type: "User"
  description: "An awesome repository"
  fork: false
  created_at: "2020-01-01T00:00:00Z"
  updated_at: "2025-11-26T10:00:00Z"
  stargazers_count: 1000
  watchers_count: 50
  language: "TypeScript"
  forks_count: 100
  open_issues_count: 5
  ▼ license
    key: "mit"
    name: "MIT License"
    url: "https://..."

// Easy to find any field!

Example 2: E-commerce Order

{
  "orderId": "ORD-12345",
  "customer": {
    "name": "Jane Smith",
    "email": "jane@example.com",
    "address": {
      "street": "456 Oak Ave",
      "city": "Boston",
      "state": "MA",
      "zip": "02101"
    }
  },
  "items": [
    {
      "productId": "PROD-001",
      "name": "Widget",
      "quantity": 2,
      "price": 29.99
    },
    {
      "productId": "PROD-002",
      "name": "Gadget",
      "quantity": 1,
      "price": 49.99
    }
  ],
  "totals": {
    "subtotal": 109.97,
    "tax": 8.80,
    "shipping": 5.00,
    "total": 123.77
  },
  "status": "shipped"
}

// Search "price" → Shows both product prices
// Search "Jane" → Shows customer.name
// Expand items[0] → See first product details
// Copy customer → Get full customer object

Example 3: AWS Config

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Sid": "AllowS3Access",
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": [
        "s3:GetObject",
        "s3:PutObject",
        "s3:DeleteObject"
      ],
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*"
    },
    {
      "Sid": "AllowDynamoDBAccess",
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": [
        "dynamodb:GetItem",
        "dynamodb:PutItem",
        "dynamodb:Query"
      ],
      "Resource": "arn:aws:dynamodb:*:*:table/MyTable"
    }
  ]
}

// Navigate policy structure
// Find specific permissions
// Copy individual statements
// Verify resource ARNs

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit JSON in the tree view?

No, tree view is read-only. Edit in the left textarea, tree updates automatically.

What's the maximum JSON size?

Technically unlimited, but performance degrades above 1MB. Use collapsed view for large files.

Does it work offline?

Yes! Completely client-side, no internet required after loading the page.

Can I save my work?

Use the Copy button to save JSON to clipboard, then paste into a file.

Why can't I see some nodes?

They may be collapsed. Use "Expand All" or search to find them.

How do I reset the view?

Click "Collapse All" to close everything, or refresh the page to clear input.

Can I share a tree view?

Share the JSON text. Others can paste it to see the same tree.

Does it support JSON5 or JSONC?

No, only standard JSON (RFC 8259). Remove comments and trailing commas first.

Why are some values showing "undefined"?

undefined is not valid JSON. Use null instead.

Can I print the tree view?

Use browser print (Ctrl/Cmd+P), but formatted JSON text may print better.

Browser Compatibility

Works in all modern browsers:

✅ Chrome / Edge (Chromium) 90+
✅ Firefox 88+
✅ Safari 14+
✅ Opera 76+
⚠️ Mobile browsers (may lag on large JSON)

Related Tools

JSON Formatter - Format, minify, and sort JSON
JSON Minifier - Remove whitespace for production
Text Diff Checker - Compare two JSON files
YAML ⇄ JSON - Convert between formats

Tips & Tricks

Quick Navigation

Use search to jump to specific fields
Expand only the sections you need
Copy individual nodes instead of finding in text
Use format before pasting ugly JSON

Debugging APIs

Paste API response
Expand to see structure
Search for error fields
Copy relevant sections
Share with team

Learning JSON Structure

Paste example data
Expand all to see full structure
Observe color coding for types
Note parent-child relationships
Practice navigating complex data

Performance Tips

Start with "Collapse All"
Expand only what you need
Use search instead of scrolling
Format large JSON before pasting
Close other browser tabs

Standards

Follows JSON specification:

RFC 8259: The JSON Data Interchange Format
ECMA-404: The JSON Data Interchange Syntax

Credits

Built with React and TypeScript for optimal performance and type safety. Tree traversal algorithm optimized for deep nesting and large files.

JSON Tree Viewer

JSON Input

Tree View

💡 How to Use

JSON Tree Viewer

Overview

Features

🌲 Interactive Tree Structure

🔍 Powerful Search

🎨 Color-Coded Types

⚡ Performance

📋 Quick Actions

✅ Validation

How to Use

Basic Usage

Expanding & Collapsing

Searching

Copying Values

Formatting JSON

Use Cases

1. API Response Analysis

2. Configuration File Exploration

3. Debugging Nested Data

4. Large JSON File Navigation

5. Data Structure Documentation

6. Comparing JSON Structures

Tree Structure Explained

Node Display Format

Node Types

Path Structure

Advanced Features

Search Behavior

Copy Node Feature

Format Feature

Technical Details

Data Processing

Performance Optimization

Supported JSON Features

Troubleshooting

"Invalid JSON" Error

Tree Not Showing

Search Not Finding Results

Copy Not Working

Slow Performance

Keyboard Shortcuts

Color Scheme

Light Mode

Dark Mode

Privacy & Security

✅ Completely Private

✅ Safe for Sensitive Data

✅ No Storage

Comparison with Alternatives

Real-World Examples

Example 1: GitHub API Response

Example 2: E-commerce Order

Example 3: AWS Config

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit JSON in the tree view?

What's the maximum JSON size?

Does it work offline?

Can I save my work?

Why can't I see some nodes?

How do I reset the view?

Can I share a tree view?

Does it support JSON5 or JSONC?

Why are some values showing "undefined"?

Can I print the tree view?

Browser Compatibility

Related Tools

Tips & Tricks

Quick Navigation

Debugging APIs

Learning JSON Structure

Performance Tips

Standards

Credits