What is JSON?
A simple text format for data that people and programs can both read.
When two programs swap data over the internet, they need a format both sides can read. Most of the time, that format is JSON.
What it is
JSON is a simple text format for data. It's built from two things: lists, in square brackets, and objects, in curly braces, made of keys and values.
How it works
A user might be an object with a name in quotes, an age as a number, and a list of hobbies. Values can be text, numbers, true or false, null, lists, or more objects nested inside. Almost every language can turn its own data into JSON and back in one line.
Why it matters
It's easy for humans and machines to read, which is why most web APIs send and receive it.
