JSON

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format that is easy to read and write for humans and simple for machines to parse and generate. It represents data as key-value pairs and arrays.

Also known as: JSON format.

Comparisons

• JSON vs. XML: JSON is more concise and easier to read than XML.

• JSON vs. CSV: JSON supports hierarchical data, while CSV is limited to tabular formats.

Pros

• Human-readable: Easy to understand and debug.

• Flexible: Supports complex nested structures.

• Universally compatible: Used across multiple programming languages.

Cons

• Verbose: Can be larger in size compared to binary formats.

• Lack of schema validation: Does not inherently enforce data types or structure.

Example

When a weather app fetches data from an API, the response often includes JSON-formatted information, such as the current temperature, humidity levels, and forecast details organized into categories for easy processing.