Simple Task - JSON Formatter

Format and validate JSON data structures with consistent styling.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Pretty-print JSON for readability
• Validate JSON syntax
• Convert compact JSON to formatted JSON
• Ensure consistent JSON formatting
• Debug JSON structure issues

Process

Step 1: Receive JSON Input

Accept JSON data in one of these forms:

• Raw JSON string
• JSON file path
• Inline JSON object

Step 2: Validate Syntax

Check if the JSON is valid:

1. Attempt to parse the JSON
2. Identify syntax errors if present
3. Report specific error location and type

Step 3: Format JSON

Apply consistent formatting:

1. Use 2-space indentation
2. Sort keys alphabetically (optional)
3. Ensure trailing newline

Step 4: Output Result

Provide the formatted JSON:

• Display formatted output
• Save to file if requested
• Report any validation errors

Examples

Example 1: Basic Formatting

Input:

{ "name": "John", "age": 30, "city": "New York" }

Process:

1. Parse JSON (valid)
2. Apply 2-space indentation
3. Format output

Expected Output:

{
  "name": "John",
  "age": 30,
  "city": "New York"
}

Example 2: Validation Error

Input:

{ "name": "John", "age": 30 }

Process:

1. Attempt to parse
2. Detect syntax error (trailing comma)
3. Report error location

Expected Output:

Error: Invalid JSON syntax
Line 1, position 25: Unexpected token }
Trailing comma not allowed in JSON

Example 3: Nested Structure

Input:

{
  "user": {
    "name": "Alice",
    "contact": { "email": "alice@example.com", "phone": "555-0123" }
  },
  "active": true
}

Process:

1. Parse complex nested structure
2. Apply formatting recursively
3. Maintain key order

Expected Output:

{
  "user": {
    "name": "Alice",
    "contact": {
      "email": "alice@example.com",
      "phone": "555-0123"
    }
  },
  "active": true
}

Best Practices

• Always validate before formatting
• Use consistent indentation (2 spaces recommended)
• Preserve data types (numbers, booleans, null)
• Handle edge cases (empty objects, arrays)
• Provide clear error messages for invalid JSON

Common Pitfalls

• Trailing commas: Not valid in standard JSON
• Single quotes: JSON requires double quotes
• Unquoted keys: Keys must be quoted strings
• Comments: Not supported in standard JSON
• Special characters: Must be properly escaped

Dependencies

No external dependencies required. Uses standard JSON parsing capabilities.

Error Handling

Invalid JSON:

• Report syntax error with location
• Suggest common fixes
• Do not attempt to format

Empty Input:

• Return empty object {} or array []
• Do not error on empty input

File Not Found:

• Report file path error
• Suggest checking path
• Do not continue processing