1<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><meta charSet="utf-8" data-next-head=""/><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" data-next-head=""/><title data-next-head="">Understanding JSON and JSON5: A Beginner's Guide to JSON and JSON5 for Web Development</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://json-5.com/json-vs-json5"/><meta name="description" content="JSON5 is a superset of JSON, which includes all the functionality of JSON and adds additional features that make it easier to work with." data-next-head=""/><link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/img/favicon.png"/><link rel="preconnect" href="https://g.alicdn.com"/><link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net"/><link rel="preload" href="/_next/static/css/2ee86164020245fa.css" as="style"/><link rel="preload" href="/_next/static/css/8933f8f18ad80c91.css" as="style"/>
1<script src="https://g.alicdn.com/code/lib/react/18.2.0/umd/react.development.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="https://g.alicdn.com/code/lib/react-dom/18.2.0/umd/react-dom.development.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="https://g.alicdn.com/code/lib/antd/4.23.4/antd.min.js" defer=""></script>
1<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://g.alicdn.com/code/lib/antd/4.23.4/antd.min.css"/>
1<script id="init" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">if(location.protocol==='http:' && !location.hostname.startsWith('local.')) {location.protocol='https:'};</script>
1<link rel="stylesheet" href="/_next/static/css/2ee86164020245fa.css" data-n-g=""/><link rel="stylesheet" href="/_next/static/css/8933f8f18ad80c91.css" data-n-p=""/><noscript data-n-css=""></noscript>
1<script defer="" noModule="" src="/_next/static/chunks/polyfills-42372ed130431b0a.js"></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/webpack-7281513e22c2ca94.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/framework-a1841b53f11935ed.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/main-3c957060704ecd49.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/pages/_app-936e819cdd2ed7e2.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/95329421-fb9d56b996b7eaba.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/871-9b53b270216c31a5.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/673-963a14522ca14248.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/chunks/pages/json-vs-json5-57c5ac49a0484905.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/W-AYakALX2NXbgX_1iN6I/_buildManifest.js" defer=""></script>
1<script src="/_next/static/W-AYakALX2NXbgX_1iN6I/_ssgManifest.js" defer=""></script>
1</head><body><link rel="preload" as="image" href="/img/json-logo.jpg"/><div id="__next"><div class="css-mncuj7 ant-app"><div class="root"><div class="json-toolbar"><div class="ant-layout layout css-mncuj7"><header class="ant-layout-header css-mncuj7" style="display:flex;align-items:center"><a href="/json-vs-json5" aria-describedby="_R_m6_"><img fetchpriority="high" class="json-logo" src="/img/json-logo.jpg"/></a><ul class="ant-menu-overflow ant-menu ant-menu-root ant-menu-horizontal ant-menu-dark css-mncuj7" role="menu" tabindex="0" data-menu-list="true"><li class="ant-menu-overflow-item ant-menu-item" style="opacity:1;order:0" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1" pathname="/" aria-describedby="_R_5b66_"><span role="img" aria-label="appstore" class="anticon anticon-appstore ant-menu-item-icon"><svg viewBox="64 64 896 896" focusable="false" data-icon="appstore" width="1em" height="1em" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M464 144H160c-8.8 0-16 7.2-16 16v304c0 8.8 7.2 16 16 16h304c8.8 0 16-7.2 16-16V160c0-8.8-7.2-16-16-16zm-52 268H212V212h200v200zm452-268H560c-8.8 0-16 7.2-16 16v304c0 8.8 7.2 16 16 16h304c8.8 0 16-7.2 16-16V160c0-8.8-7.2-16-16-16zm-52 268H612V212h200v200zM464 544H160c-8.8 0-16 7.2-16 16v304c0 8.8 7.2 16 16 16h304c8.8 0 16-7.2 16-16V560c0-8.8-7.2-16-16-16zm-52 268H212V612h200v200zm452-268H560c-8.8 0-16 7.2-16 16v304c0 8.8 7.2 16 16 16h304c8.8 0 16-7.2 16-16V560c0-8.8-7.2-16-16-16zm-52 268H612V612h200v200z"></path></svg></span><span class="ant-menu-title-content">JSON5 Editor(Formatter)</span></li><li class="ant-menu-overflow-item ant-menu-item" style="opacity:1;order:1" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1" pathname="/jsoncompare" aria-describedby="_R_9b66_"><span role="img" aria-label="diff" class="anticon anticon-diff ant-menu-item-icon"><svg viewBox="64 64 896 896" focusable="false" data-icon="diff" width="1em" height="1em" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M476 399.1c0-3.9-3.1-7.1-7-7.1h-42c-3.8 0-7 3.2-7 7.1V484h-84.5c-4.1 0-7.5 3.1-7.5 7v42c0 3.8 3.4 7 7.5 7H420v84.9c0 3.9 3.2 7.1 7 7.1h42c3.9 0 7-3.2 7-7.1V540h84.5c4.1 0 7.5-3.2 7.5-7v-42c0-3.9-3.4-7-7.5-7H476v-84.9zM560.5 704h-225c-4.1 0-7.5 3.2-7.5 7v42c0 3.8 3.4 7 7.5 7h225c4.1 0 7.5-3.2 7.5-7v-42c0-3.8-3.4-7-7.5-7zm-7.1-502.6c-6-6-14.1-9.4-22.6-9.4H192c-17.7 0-32 14.3-32 32v704c0 17.7 14.3 32 32 32h512c17.7 0 32-14.3 32-32V397.3c0-8.5-3.4-16.6-9.4-22.6L553.4 201.4zM664 888H232V264h282.2L664 413.8V888zm190.2-581.4L611.3 72.9c-6-5.7-13.9-8.9-22.2-8.9H296c-4.4 0-8 3.6-8 8v56c0 4.4 3.6 8 8 8h277l219 210.6V824c0 4.4 3.6 8 8 8h56c4.4 0 8-3.6 8-8V329.6c0-8.7-3.5-17-9.8-23z"></path></svg></span><span class="ant-menu-title-content">JSON Compare</span></li><li class="ant-menu-overflow-item ant-menu-item" style="opacity:1;order:2" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1" pathname="/json-to-typescript" aria-describedby="_R_db66_"><span role="img" aria-label="codepen" class="anticon anticon-codepen ant-menu-item-icon"><svg viewBox="64 64 896 896" focusable="false" data-icon="codepen" width="1em" height="1em" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M911.7 385.3l-.3-1.5c-.2-1-.3-1.9-.6-2.9-.2-.6-.4-1.1-.5-1.7-.3-.8-.5-1.7-.9-2.5-.2-.6-.5-1.1-.8-1.7-.4-.8-.8-1.5-1.2-2.3-.3-.5-.6-1.1-1-1.6-.8-1.2-1.7-2.4-2.6-3.6-.5-.6-1.1-1.3-1.7-1.9-.4-.5-.9-.9-1.4-1.3-.6-.6-1.3-1.1-1.9-1.6-.5-.4-1-.8-1.6-1.2-.2-.1-.4-.3-.6-.4L531.1 117.8a34.3 34.3 0 00-38.1 0L127.3 361.3c-.2.1-.4.3-.6.4-.5.4-1 .8-1.6 1.2-.7.5-1.3 1.1-1.9 1.6-.5.4-.9.9-1.4 1.3-.6.6-1.2 1.2-1.7 1.9-1 1.1-1.8 2.3-2.6 3.6-.3.5-.7 1-1 1.6-.4.7-.8 1.5-1.2 2.3-.3.5-.5 1.1-.8 1.7-.3.8-.6 1.7-.9 2.5-.2.6-.4 1.1-.5 1.7-.2.9-.4 1.9-.6 2.9l-.3 1.5c-.2 1.5-.3 3-.3 4.5v243.5c0 1.5.1 3 .3 4.5l.3 1.5.6 2.9c.2.6.3 1.1.5 1.7.3.9.6 1.7.9 2.5.2.6.5 1.1.8 1.7.4.8.7 1.5 1.2 2.3.3.5.6 1.1 1 1.6.5.7.9 1.4 1.5 2.1l1.2 1.5c.5.6 1.1 1.3 1.7 1.9.4.5.9.9 1.4 1.3.6.6 1.3 1.1 1.9 1.6.5.4 1 .8 1.6 1.2.2.1.4.3.6.4L493 905.7c5.6 3.8 12.3 5.8 19.1 5.8 6.6 0 13.3-1.9 19.1-5.8l365.6-243.5c.2-.1.4-.3.6-.4.5-.4 1-.8 1.6-1.2.7-.5 1.3-1.1 1.9-1.6.5-.4.9-.9 1.4-1.3.6-.6 1.2-1.2 1.7-1.9l1.2-1.5 1.5-2.1c.3-.5.7-1 1-1.6.4-.8.8-1.5 1.2-2.3.3-.5.5-1.1.8-1.7.3-.8.6-1.7.9-2.5.2-.5.4-1.1.5-1.7.3-.9.4-1.9.6-2.9l.3-1.5c.2-1.5.3-3 .3-4.5V389.8c-.3-1.5-.4-3-.6-4.5zM546.4 210.5l269.4 179.4-120.3 80.4-149-99.6V210.5zm-68.8 0v160.2l-149 99.6-120.3-80.4 269.3-179.4zM180.7 454.1l86 57.5-86 57.5v-115zm296.9 358.5L208.3 633.2l120.3-80.4 149 99.6v160.2zM512 592.8l-121.6-81.2L512 430.3l121.6 81.2L512 592.8zm34.4 219.8V652.4l149-99.6 120.3 80.4-269.3 179.4zM843.3 569l-86-57.5 86-57.5v115z"></path></svg></span><span class="ant-menu-title-content">JSON to TypeScript</span></li><li class="ant-menu-overflow-item ant-menu-item" style="opacity:1;order:3" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1" pathname="/json-to-java" aria-describedby="_R_hb66_">
1<span role="img" aria-label="codepen" class="anticon anticon-codepen ant-menu-item-icon"><svg viewBox="64 64 896 896" focusable="false" data-icon="codepen" width="1em" height="1em" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M911.7 385.3l-.3-1.5c-.2-1-.3-1.9-.6-2.9-.2-.6-.4-1.1-.5-1.7-.3-.8-.5-1.7-.9-2.5-.2-.6-.5-1.1-.8-1.7-.4-.8-.8-1.5-1.2-2.3-.3-.5-.6-1.1-1-1.6-.8-1.2-1.7-2.4-2.6-3.6-.5-.6-1.1-1.3-1.7-1.9-.4-.5-.9-.9-1.4-1.3-.6-.6-1.3-1.1-1.9-1.6-.5-.4-1-.8-1.6-1.2-.2-.1-.4-.3-.6-.4L531.1 117.8a34.3 34.3 0 00-38.1 0L127.3 361.3c-.2.1-.4.3-.6.4-.5.4-1 .8-1.6 1.2-.7.5-1.3 1.1-1.9 1.6-.5.4-.9.9-1.4 1.3-.6.6-1.2 1.2-1.7 1.9-1 1.1-1.8 2.3-2.6 3.6-.3.5-.7 1-1 1.6-.4.7-.8 1.5-1.2 2.3-.3.5-.5 1.1-.8 1.7-.3.8-.6 1.7-.9 2.5-.2.6-.4 1.1-.5 1.7-.2.9-.4 1.9-.6 2.9l-.3 1.5c-.2 1.5-.3 3-.3 4.5v243.5c0 1.5.1 3 .3 4.5l.3 1.5.6 2.9c.2.6.3 1.1.5 1.7.3.9.6 1.7.9 2.5.2.6.5 1.1.8 1.7.4.8.7 1.5 1.2 2.3.3.5.6 1.1 1 1.6.5.7.9 1.4 1.5 2.1l1.2 1.5c.5.6 1.1 1.3 1.7 1.9.4.5.9.9 1.4 1.3.6.6 1.3 1.1 1.9 1.6.5.4 1 .8 1.6 1.2.2.1.4.3.6.4L493 905.7c5.6 3.8 12.3 5.8 19.1 5.8 6.6 0 13.3-1.9 19.1-5.8l365.6-243.5c.2-.1.4-.3.6-.4.5-.4 1-.8 1.6-1.2.7-.5 1.3-1.1 1.9-1.6.5-.4.9-.9 1.4-1.3.6-.6 1.2-1.2 1.7-1.9l1.2-1.5 1.5-2.1c.3-.5.7-1 1-1.6.4-.8.8-1.5 1.2-2.3.3-.5.5-1.1.8-1.7.3-.8.6-1.7.9-2.5.2-.5.4-1.1.5-1.7.3-.9.4-1.9.6-2.9l.3-1.5c.2-1.5.3-3 .3-4.5V389.8c-.3-1.5-.4-3-.6-4.5zM546.4 210.5l269.4 179.4-120.3 80.4-149-99.6V210.5zm-68.8 0v160.2l-149 99.6-120.3-80.4 269.3-179.4zM180.7 454.1l86 57.5-86 57.5v-115zm296.9 358.5L208.3 633.2l120.3-80.4 149 99.6v160.2zM512 592.8l-121.6-81.2L512 430.3l121.6 81.2L512 592.8zm34.4 219.8V652.4l149-99.6 120.3 80.4-269.3 179.4zM843.3 569l-86-57.5 86-57.5v115z"></path></svg></span><span class="ant-menu-title-content">JSON to Java</span></li><li class="ant-menu-overflow-item ant-menu-submenu ant-menu-submenu-horizontal" style="opacity:1;order:4" role="none"><div role="menuitem" class="ant-menu-submenu-title" tabindex="-1" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true"><span role="img" aria-label="github" class="anticon anticon-github ant-menu-item-icon"><svg viewBox="64 64 896 896" focusable="false" data-icon="github" width="1em" height="1em" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M511.6 76.3C264.3 76.2 64 276.4 64 523.5 64 718.9 189.3 885 363.8 946c23.5 5.9 19.9-10.8 19.9-22.2v-77.5c-135.7 15.9-141.2-73.9-150.3-88.9C215 726 171.5 718 184.5 703c30.9-15.9 62.4 4 98.9 57.9 26.4 39.1 77.9 32.5 104 26 5.7-23.5 17.9-44.5 34.7-60.8-140.6-25.2-199.2-111-199.2-213 0-49.5 16.3-95 48.3-131.7-20.4-60.5 1.9-112.3 4.9-120 58.1-5.2 118.5 41.6 123.2 45.3 33-8.9 70.7-13.6 112.9-13.6 42.4 0 80.2 4.9 113.5 13.9 11.3-8.6 67.3-48.8 121.3-43.9 2.9 7.7 24.7 58.3 5.5 118 32.4 36.8 48.9 82.7 48.9 132.3 0 102.2-59 188.1-200 212.9a127.5 127.5 0 0138.1 91v112.5c.8 9 0 17.9 15 17.9 177.1-59.7 304.6-227 304.6-424.1 0-247.2-200.4-447.3-447.5-447.3z"></path></svg></span><span class="ant-menu-title-content">Github</span><i class="ant-menu-submenu-arrow"></i></div></li><li class="ant-menu-overflow-item ant-menu-overflow-item-rest ant-menu-submenu ant-menu-submenu-horizontal" style="opacity:0;height:0;overflow-y:hidden;order:9007199254740991;pointer-events:none;position:absolute" aria-hidden="true" role="none"><div role="menuitem" class="ant-menu-submenu-title" tabindex="-1" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true"><span role="img" aria-label="ellipsis" class="anticon anticon-ellipsis"><svg viewBox="64 64 896 896" focusable="false" data-icon="ellipsis" width="1em" height="1em" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M176 511a56 56 0 10112 0 56 56 0 10-112 0zm280 0a56 56 0 10112 0 56 56 0 10-112 0zm280 0a56 56 0 10112 0 56 56 0 10-112 0z"></path></svg></span><i class="ant-menu-submenu-arrow"></i></div></li></ul><div style="display:none" aria-hidden="true"></div></header></div></div><div class="json-vs-json5"><div><div class="component-page-title"><h1 class="title">Understanding JSON and JSON5<a class="github-link-icon" href="https://github.com/awesome-json/json-editor" target="_blank"><span role="img" aria-label="github" class="anticon anticon-github"><svg viewBox="64 64 896 896" focusable="false" data-icon="github" width="1em" height="1em" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M511.6 76.3C264.3 76.2 64 276.4 64 523.5 64 718.9 189.3 885 363.8 946c23.5 5.9 19.9-10.8 19.9-22.2v-77.5c-135.7 15.9-141.2-73.9-150.3-88.9C215 726 171.5 718 184.5 703c30.9-15.9 62.4 4 98.9 57.9 26.4 39.1 77.9 32.5 104 26 5.7-23.5 17.9-44.5 34.7-60.8-140.6-25.2-199.2-111-199.2-213 0-49.5 16.3-95 48.3-131.7-20.4-60.5 1.9-112.3 4.9-120 58.1-5.2 118.5 41.6 123.2 45.3 33-8.9 70.7-13.6 112.9-13.6 42.4 0 80.2 4.9 113.5 13.9 11.3-8.6 67.3-48.8 12
11.3-43.9 2.9 7.7 24.7 58.3 5.5 118 32.4 36.8 48.9 82.7 48.9 132.3 0 102.2-59 188.1-200 212.9a127.5 127.5 0 0138.1 91v112.5c.8 9 0 17.9 15 17.9 177.1-59.7 304.6-227 304.6-424.1 0-247.2-200.4-447.3-447.5-447.3z"></path></svg></span><b class="ml-1">Github</b><div class="component-breathe ml-1"></div></a></h1><h2 class="sub-title">Introducing JSON5: The Improved Version of JSON for Web Developers</h2></div><h2>Introudction</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">If you work in web development, you've probably heard of <a href="/what-is-json" target="_blank">JSON</a>. It's a simple and lightweight way to store and exchange data that's become a standard in the industry. But have you heard of <!-- -->JSON5<!-- -->? It's an extension of JSON that adds some new features to make it even more convenient for developers. In this article, we're going to explore both JSON and <!-- -->JSON5<!-- --> in depth. We'll start by looking at the basics of JSON and how it's used in web development. Then, we'll dive into the new features of <!-- -->JSON5<!-- --> and how they can make your life easier.</div><h2>What's JSON?</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">In today's technology-driven world, data is the backbone of every application. The data that we interact with on a daily basis is often passed between computers, servers, and applications. This is where data interchange formats come into play. One such format is JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation. JSON is a lightweight format that is easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate.</div><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON data is represented in key-value pairs where keys are strings and values can be strings, numbers, objects, arrays, or null. Here is an example of JSON data:<pre><code class="language-javascript">{ 2"bank": "My Bank", 3"account_number": "1234567890", 4"balance": 5000.00, 5"account_type": "Savings", 6"transactions": [ 7 { 8 "date": "2021-09-01", 9 "description": "Deposit", 10 "amount": 1000.00 11 }, 12 { 13 "date": "2021-09-10", 14 "description": "Withdrawal", 15 "amount": -500.00 16 } 17] 18}</code></pre>This JSON data includes the bank name, account number, balance, account type, and a list of transactions. Transactions include the date, description, and amount of the transaction.</div><h2>Why use JSON?</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON has several advantages over other data exchange formats:<ol><li>Lightweight: JSON is lightweight and doesn't require a lot of resources to parse and generate. This makes it an ideal format for web applications that require fast and efficient data transfer.</li><li>Easy to read and write: JSON is human-readable and easy to write, which makes it easy for developers to work with. It is also easy to understand and debug, which makes it a popular choice for APIs.</li><li>Language independent: JSON is completely language independent and can be used with any programming language. This makes it a great choice for applications that need to communicate with other applications written in different languages.</li><li>Supports complex data structures: JSON supports complex data structures such as arrays and nested objects, which makes it a flexible format for data exchange.</li></ol></div><h2>How to use JSON?</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON is easy to serialize and deserialize data, which means that it can be converted into a string representation and then back into its original format. That's the reasone why JSON is often used in web applications to transfer data between the server and the client. It can be used to transfer data in a variety of contexts, including browser AJAX requests, and server internal API requests.</div><div class="img-container"><img src="/img/json-5/json4.png" alt="JSON API" loading="lazy"/><div class="img-desciption">Data exchanged in JSON format between server and client.</div></div><h2>What's JSON5?</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON5 adds new syntax to the JSON format, including support for comments, trailing commas in arrays and objects, and more relaxed rules for defining keys and strings. These features make it easier for developers to write and read JSON5 data, which is particularly useful for larger and more complex JSON files.</div><h2>JSON vs JSON5</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON5 is a superset of JSON, which includes all the functionality of JSON and adds additional features that make it easier to work with. However, JSON5 is not a widely adopted standard and may not be supported by all JSON parsers. JSON is a more widely used and accepted format, but JSON5 can be a useful tool for certain use cases where additional flexibility is needed.</div><h3>JSON5 allows more relaxed rules for defining keys</h3><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">Developers can use single quotes for strings instead of double quotes. Additionally, keys can be defined without quotes if they are valid JavaScript identifiers, which can make the code easier to read and write.</div><pre><code class="language-javascript">{ 19// Key is allowed to be single quoted: 20'key1': "str", 21 22// Key is allowed to be unquoted: 23key2: "str", 24}</code></pre><h3>JSON5 allows trailing commas</h3><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON5 also supports trailing commas in arrays and objects. This means that developers can add a comma after the last item in an array or object, which makes it easier to add new items or properties without having to worry about remov
24ing or adding commas in other parts of the code. For example:</div><pre><code class="language-javascript">{ 25// Array is allowed to have a trailing comma: 26"key1": [1, 2, ], 27 28// Object is allowed to have a trailing comma: 29"key2": { "a": "str", "b": "str", }, 30}</code></pre><h3>JSON5 allows for more flexibility in how strings can be represented</h3><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON5 is able to use single quotes instead of double quotes in string values and also allows for the inclusion of line breaks and special characters. For example:</div><pre><code class="language-javascript">{ 31// string value is allowed to be single quoted 32singleQuotes: 'I can use "double quotes" here', 33 34// string value is allowed to include character escapes 35lineBreaks: "Look, Mom! 36No \n's!", 37}</code></pre><h3>JSON5 allows comments</h3><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON does not support comments at all, while JSON5 allows for both single-line and multi-line comments. For example:</div><pre><code class="language-javascript">{ 38// Single-line comment: 39// "key1": "str", 40 41// Multi-line comment: 42/* "key2": "str", 43 "key3": "str" */ 44}</code></pre><h3>JSON5 supports more flexibility in number formatting</h3><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSON5 allows for more flexibility and readability when it comes to number formatting. For example:</div><pre><code class="language-javascript"> 45// Numbers could be hexadecimal: 46"key1": 0xdecaf, 47 48// Numbers could have a leading decimal point: 49"key2": .123, 50 51// Numbers could begin with an explicit plus sign: 52"key3": +1, 53}</code></pre><h2>What's JSONC?</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7"><a href="https://npm-compare.com/jsonc-parser" target="_blank">JSONC</a> (JSON with comments) is a proposed extension to the JSON format that allows developers to include comments in their JSON data structures.</div><h2>JSON5 vs JSONC</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">JSONC was created by Microsoft and is used in <a href="https://code.visualstudio.com" target="_blank">VS Code</a>. While JSONC is an extension of JSON, <a href="https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/100688" target="_blank">it lacks a specification</a> and is incompatible with other tools and tooling. JSONC allows developers to add comments to their JSON data, but that's the only significant benefit it offers over JSON.</div><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">On the other hand, JSON5 is a well-defined specification that includes comments, trailing commas, multi-line strings, single or double quotes, object keys without quotes, and other features borrowed from ECMAScript 5.1. It is a strict subset of JavaScript and immediately understandable. JSON5's syntax is similar to JavaScript, making it an excellent alternative for developers who are more comfortable working with JavaScript.</div><h2>Conclusion</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">Benefits of using <!-- -->JSON5<!-- -->:</div><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7"><ol><li><b>Improved Readability</b>: JSON5 is designed to be more human-readable than JSON, with features like support for comments, trailing commas, and single-quoted strings.</li><li><b>Flexibility</b>: JSON5 is more flexible than JSON, allowing developers to use more relaxed syntax rules that are easier to work with.</li><li><b>Easier to Write</b>: JSON5 is easier to write, with fewer syntax restrictions than JSON.</li><li><b>Improved Collaboration</b>: JSON5's improved readability and flexibility make it easier for developers and non-technical users to collaborate on JSON5 data.</li><li><b>Familiarity</b>: JSON5 is based on JSON, so developers who are familiar with JSON can easily learn and work with JSON5.</li> </ol></div><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7">Benefits of using <a href="https://json-5.com" target="_blank">JSON5 Editor</a>:</div><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7"><ol><li><b>User-Friendly Interface</b>: JSON5 Editor provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create, modify, and delete JSON5 data.</li><li><b>Syntax Highlighting</b>: JSON5 Editor highlights the different parts of JSON5 data in different c
53olors, making it easier to identify the different components of JSON5 data.</li><li><b>Auto-completion</b>: JSON5 Editor provides auto-completion suggestions to help users write JSON5 data faster and with fewer errors.</li><li><b>Error Highlighting</b>: JSON5 Editor highlights syntax errors in JSON5 data in real-time, making it easier for users to identify and fix errors.</li><li><b>Multiple Formats</b>: JSON5 Editor can edit JSON5 data in different formats, including compact, pretty, and minified formats.</li></ol></div><h2>Read More</h2><div class="ant-typography css-mncuj7"><ul><li><a href="/what-is-json" target="_blank">Structure JSON data safely and efficiently, and gain a deeper understanding with real-world applications</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div>
53<script id="__NEXT_DATA__" type="application/json">{"props":{"pageProps":{}},"page":"/json-vs-json5","query":{},"buildId":"W-AYakALX2NXbgX_1iN6I","nextExport":true,"autoExport":true,"isFallback":false,"scriptLoader":[{"src":"//www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=GT-K4Z74W4","strategy":"lazyOnload","crossOrigin":"anonymous"},{"id":"google-analytics","strategy":"lazyOnload","crossOrigin":"anonymous","children":"\n if(!location.hostname.startsWith('local.')) {\n window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}\n gtag('js', new Date());\n gtag('config', 'GT-K4Z74W4'); \n }\n "}]}</script>
53</body></html> 54<!-- 9/29/2026, 1:16:23 PM -->
Line numbers count LF bytes from the start of the resource, as the search results do. Vendor segments are library code the classifier recognised; they are stored but not indexed. Bytes are shown as Latin1 characters, one per byte.